Free labour mobility a must for strong Saarc economy

They said under globalisation free trade was ensured, but free mobility of labour was not considered only to protect the interests of the capitalist countries.

The seminar on 'New Imperialist Globalisation and Migration'

was organised by Bangladesh chapter of World Social Forum (WSF) with the slogan 'another world is possible' at Dhaka Reporters Unity auditorium.

Presided over by Khushi Kabir, coordinator of Nijera Kori, the seminar was addressed by former foreign secretary C M Shafi Sami, economist Prof Abul Barakat, human rights activist Dr Hamida Hossain and trade union leader Nurul Islam.

Shafi Sami, also a former ambassador, said unscrupulous employers and recruiting agencies and corrupt embassy bureaucrats and officials are mainly responsible for the exploitations of migrant workers.

He also alleged that no government took any steps to protect the rights of the migrant workers.

Shafi Sami said lack of solidarity among the manpower exporting countries also helps exploitation of migrant workers by foreign employers.

Prof Abul Barakat said as globalisation is running in the form of market fundamentalism, free migration will not be possible.

Dr Hamida Hossain said the government is less concerned about the security issue of female migrant workers who face different forms of exploitations abroad.

She said any migration policy is yet to be formulated by the government.

In a keynote paper, Syed Saiful Haq Asif said globalisation has benefited the capitalist society and increased the gap between the rich and the poor.

Although migrant workers are playing important role in the development, their rights are still ignored, said the paper.

It also suggested introducing Saarc work permit, if necessary, among the member countries so that the people of the region could move freely for job as per their qualifications.

Referring to exploitation of migrant workers by foreign employers and recruiting agencies, the speakers reiterated the need for formulating rules and regulations for the welfare of the migrant workers.

Chief Executive Officer of Nagorik Uddyog Zaker Hossain, and representatives from different migrant and human rights organisations were present at the seminar.