Bangladesh, EU agree on migration and anti-trafficking cooperation

Bangladesh and the European Union (EU) agreed Monday to cooperate against irregular migration and human trafficking while expanding legal employment channels for skilled Bangladeshi workers.

The agreement followed a Dhaka meeting between expatriates’ welfare and overseas employment minister Ariful Haque Choudhury and European commissioner for internal affairs and migration Magnus Brunner.

Choudhury said Bangladesh had canceled the licenses of 49 recruiting agencies as part of efforts to restore discipline in overseas recruitment.

Ministry secretary Md Mokhtar Ahmed requested EU support for skills certification, language training, digital recruitment, and returning migrants’ rehabilitation. He identified information technology, construction, textiles, shipbuilding, agriculture, and hospitality as potential employment sectors.

Brunner said the EU was ready to support legal migration channels and anti-trafficking efforts. He said about 500,000 Bangladeshis legally live in EU member states.