Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU) of Dhaka University organised the workshop with the support of Manusher Jonno Foundation.

The workshop was organised to develop message for awareness campaign under the Capacity Building and Ensuring Safe Labour Migration (CABSLAM) project.

Shaikh Altaf Ali, secretary in-charge of civil aviation and tourism ministry, was the chief guest at the inaugural session chaired by Dr CR Abrar, coordinator of RMMRU.

Fayazuddin Ahmed, programme manager of Manusher Jonno Foundation, highlighted the importance of mass campaign to protect the rights of migrants.

In her keynote address, Prof Tasneem Siddiqui of political science department at Dhaka University identified seven areas of information on safe migration.

These are planning of migration, processing of work permit and visa, processing of travel including embarkation and disembarkation, social and cultural adjustment in the receiving country, work conditions, accidents, security of female migrants, and opportunities for reintegration of returnee migrants.

Shaikh Altaf Ali requested the organisers to prepare a short documentary on airport formalities which could be shown in the monitor at the entrance of the airport.

He said the campaign will not only assist the migrants, it will also help the airport operation smoothly.

Dr Nurul Islam, director of Research, Monitoring and Computer at the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET), pointed out that the migrants are not informed about the services currently available at BMET and Airport.

The mass campaign can aware the migrants about these services, he added.

Md Selim Reza, director of Emigration and Protocol at BMET, stressed the need for mental preparedness of the migrants for harsh weather, tough job, and difference in culture, religious values, food and residential pattern in the destination country.

He also discussed the facilities available abroad from the embassy and the local labour office.

The workshop identified male and female migrants, prospective migrants, their families, and returnee migrants as the target audience for information campaign by using different electronic and print media.

The participants comprised experts from all sectors including ministries concerned, different NGOs, and returnee migrant workers from Chittagong, Dhaka, Tangail, and Comilla.