The Amar Bangladesh Party (AB Party) has called for ensuring the rights, safety and dignity of Bangladeshi migrant workers and establishing a safe migration system.
The party has put forward seven demands, including an end to syndicates and excessive migration costs in the Malaysian labour market, proper scrutiny of recruitment to prevent fraud and risky employment in Russia, removal of unnecessary Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) complications for legal jobs in Europe, and expansion of European visa services in Bangladesh.
The demands were raised at a press briefing held at the party's central office in Bijoynagar, Dhaka, on Monday. AB Party Chairman Mojibur Rahman Monju and its Expatriates' Welfare Affairs Secretary Raja Golam Rabbani presented the demands.
Party Chairman Monju said, “Expatriates could not be treated merely as machines for sending remittances. They are citizens of Bangladesh and important partners in the country's economy. A significant part of the national economy rests on their labour, sweat and sacrifices. Yet, they face fraud, debt burdens, harassment and uncertainty when trying to go abroad.”
He said that although the country's economy depended on remittances sent by expatriates, the state had significant shortcomings in fulfilling its responsibilities to ensure their rights and safety. “The welfare of expatriates could not be assessed solely through remittance figures. Their safe migration, fair employment, legal protection and dignified lives must be ensured. The government must take effective steps immediately to implement these demands.”
Monju further said expatriate workers were not commodities; they were citizens of Bangladesh. “Protecting their rights and dignity was the responsibility of the state.”
Addressing the government, Monju said the BNP had formulated its 31-point agenda after taking all kinds of adverse circumstances and realities into consideration.
"You had issued notes of dissent opposing various decisions of the interim government. Following the people's verdict in the referendum, those notes have become ineffective. You had issued notes of dissent regarding the current security adviser and Chattogram Port. But after coming to power, you appointed that very security adviser as foreign minister, while leasing Chattogram Port to DP World. So why are you so reluctant to accept the people's verdict in the referendum? Following the people's verdict in the referendum, notes of dissent no longer have any political basis," he said.
Speaking at the event, the party’s Expatriate Welfare Affairs Secretary Golam Rabbani Raja said migrant workers were one of the main driving forces of Bangladesh's economy. “They work abroad, send foreign currency to the country and keep the livelihoods of millions of families running. Yet, their journeys abroad remain plagued by excessive costs, broker networks, fraud and administrative complications. Many workers sell their land or take loans to go abroad but fail to receive the jobs, salaries and benefits they were promised.”
He said information had emerged that between 2022 and 2024, the migration cost for a worker going to Malaysia was around five to six lakh taka or even more, compared with the government-fixed cost of approximately 79,000 taka.
"Why should an ordinary worker have to take on such a huge debt burden to go abroad? The reopening of the Malaysian labour market must not be allowed to create a syndicate involving a limited number of agencies under any circumstances. Equal opportunities must be ensured for all eligible and licensed recruiting agencies, along with transparent accounts of recruitment costs," he said.
Regarding employment in Russia, he said decisions about overseas employment must be based on actual information and workers' safety, not on social media or government-level publicity.
He said an investigative report by the Associated Press (AP) had raised highly concerning allegations that Bangladeshi citizens were taken to Russia with promises of civilian jobs but were subsequently engaged in military work.
"Every employment contract, employer, visa category, nature of work and salary must be verified by the Bangladeshi authorities. No worker can be engaged in military work without their consent. However, the AB Party does not support closing opportunities for lawful and safe civilian employment in Russia," he said.
Referring to allegations of harassment and delays in obtaining BMET clearance despite securing valid visas and employment contracts in various European countries, Rabbani said Bangladeshis who had secured lawful employment opportunities in Serbia, North Macedonia, Moldova and other European countries must not be held up by unreasonable administrative complications.
He said country-specific clearance rules and required documents must be made public, a specific timeframe must be set for processing applications, and written explanations must be provided whenever clearance applications are rejected.
Regarding the difficulties faced by Bangladeshis who have to travel to India to apply for European visas, he said diplomatic initiatives must be taken with the relevant countries to expand visa application, biometric, interview and passport return services in Bangladesh. This would reduce applicants' additional expenses, time and travel risks.
Calling for a resolution to expatriates' passport-related complications, Rabbani said many expatriates were facing difficulties obtaining passports because of discrepancies in the ages recorded in their birth registration certificates and national identity cards.
He said special arrangements must be introduced to allow them to obtain e-passports based on information and validity periods recorded in their previous valid digital passports. At the same time, applications for correcting birth registration and NID information must be resolved quickly to ensure passport issuance.
AB Party Senior Vice-Chairman Abdul Wahab Minar said ensuring the rights and dignity of expatriates was not merely a matter of economic interest but also a constitutional and moral responsibility of the state.
He said the government must take immediate and effective steps to establish safe migration, fair employment and state accountability towards expatriates.
At the press briefing, the AB Party placed seven demands before the government, including ending syndicates and excessive migration costs in all labour markets, ensuring transparency in recruitment fees, preventing illegal collection of money, and verifying employers, job contracts and working conditions in risky labour markets such as Russia. It also called for faster and transparent BMET clearance for workers with legal jobs and visas in Europe.
The party further demanded the expansion of European visa and biometric services in Bangladesh, prompt legal assistance and repatriation for workers facing fraud, unpaid wages, passport confiscation or human trafficking, and an accessible digital system to receive and resolve expatriates' complaints.