The International Labour Organization on Sunday expressed keen interest in organising short-term, skills-oriented training programmes for Bangladeshi workers in the Maldives to meet labour market needs and enhance migrant welfare.
The issue was discussed when Joni Simpson, country director of the ILO for Sri Lanka and the Maldives, met Bangladesh high commissioner to the Maldives Md Nazmul Islam at the Chancery Building of the Bangladesh high commission in Male, according to a message.
The meeting focused on strengthening cooperation among Bangladesh, the Maldives and the ILO to safeguard the rights, dignity and overall welfare of Bangladeshi migrant workers in the Maldives.
During the discussion, Simpson noted that the Maldives is currently facing a labour shortage and stressed the importance of facilitating the deployment of skilled Bangladeshi workers to meet the country’s workforce demands.
She reaffirmed the ILO’s readiness to support grievance redress mechanisms for migrant workers and expressed interest in arranging short-term, skills-based training programmes, subject to Bangladesh’s initiative.
The high commissioner said many of the challenges faced by Bangladeshi migrant workers cannot be effectively addressed through bilateral efforts alone, underscoring the need for a trilateral approach involving Bangladesh, the Maldives and the ILO.
He proposed exploring formal cooperation frameworks among the three parties to enhance coordination, protection and support for migrant workers, particularly in the areas of skills development, fair wages and labour rights.
Both sides discussed the scope for skill-focused training programmes aligned with the needs of the Maldivian labour market, as well as possible approaches to addressing minimum wage issues for Bangladeshi workers in the Maldives.
They also emphasised the importance of aligning ILO standards and policies with the labour framework of the government of the Maldives to ensure comprehensive and inclusive protection for migrant workers.
The meeting concluded with optimism that enhanced trilateral cooperation would contribute to promoting safe, orderly and dignified labour migration and improve the overall wellbeing of Bangladeshi migrant workers in the Maldives.
