Decentralisation of migrants’ dispute resolution mechanism underway

The expatriate welfare and overseas employment ministry has taken initiative to take the dispute resolution of migrants to the field level.  

"We are doing it gradually. Initially the trial run will begin in three districts – Chattogram, Cumilla and Narshingdi," Dr Ahmed Munirus Saleheen, secretary of the ministry said at an event on the occasion of International Migrants day yesterday.

"Prevention is always better than cure. So, our goal is to ensure there is no dispute. Even if there are disputes, we want to make sure the workers do not have to come to Dhaka for that," he added at the program organised by the Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services Limited (BOESL) at the Probashi Kallyan Bhaban.   

He urged all stakeholders including Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (Baira) to do their part in this regard saying, "We want to settle the disputes amicably."

The government institutions like the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) resolve the grievances through a formal process called arbitration and receive the complaints through its online complaint submission mechanism. 

BMET receives complaints from migrants in two ways – online (www.ovijogbmet.org) and in person from the aggrieved migrant. 

Similarly, the recruiting agencies' association BAIRA has its own arbitration cell. 

Moreover, Wage Earners Welfare Board (WEWB) has an online call centre service named Probash Bondhu Call Center through which it is also providing counselling and complaint receiving services round the clock. 

The arbitration mechanism of BMET and BAIRA could not ensure gratified justice for the survivors, according to stakeholders. 

While arbitration conducted by BMET is indeed a good initiative, there exist some drawbacks in the system like inadequate compensation, discriminatory treatment of complainants, absence of measures for non-compliance with arbitral decisions, according to a research of Refugee and Migratory Movement Research Unit. 

In some cases, the migrant workers and their families used the local mediation system called Shalish or filing cases at Village Court to resolve conflicts. 

For complex cases, migrant workers with the help of legal aid or NGOs sued the recruiting agents or local brokers under the Overseas Employment and Migration Act 2013 or Human Trafficking Act 2012.

The expatriate welfare secretary also said that they want to take the service to the expats' doorsteps. 

"We want to evaluate the migration sector with quality not quantity," he said. The expatriate welfare and overseas employment ministry has taken initiative to take the dispute resolution of migrants to the field level. 

"We are doing it gradually. Initially the trial run will begin in three districts – Chattogram, Cumilla and Narsingdi," Dr Ahmed Munirus Saleheen, secretary of the ministry said at an event on the occasion of International Migrants day yesterday.

"Prevention is always better than cure. So, our goal is to ensure there is no dispute. Even if there are disputes, we want to make sure the workers do not have to come to Dhaka for that," he added at the program organised by the Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services Limited (BOESL) at the Probashi Kallyan Bhaban.  

He urged all stakeholders including Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (Baira) to do their part in this regard saying, "We want to settle the disputes amicably."

The government institutions like the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) resolve the grievances through a formal process called arbitration and receive the complaints through its online complaint submission mechanism.

BMET receives complaints from migrants in two ways – online (www.ovijogbmet.org) and in person from the aggrieved migrant.

Similarly, the recruiting agencies' association BAIRA has its own arbitration cell.

Moreover, Wage Earners Welfare Board (WEWB) has an online call centre service named Probash Bondhu Call Center through which it is also providing counselling and complaint receiving services round the clock.

The arbitration mechanism of BMET and BAIRA could not ensure gratified justice for the survivors, according to stakeholders.

While arbitration conducted by BMET is indeed a good initiative, there exist some drawbacks in the system like inadequate compensation, discriminatory treatment of complainants, absence of measures for non-compliance with arbitral decisions, according to a research of Refugee and Migratory Movement Research Unit.

In some cases, the migrant workers and their families used the local mediation system called Shalish or filing cases at Village Court to resolve conflicts.

For complex cases, migrant workers with the help of legal aid or NGOs sued the recruiting agents or local brokers under the Overseas Employment and Migration Act 2013 or Human Trafficking Act 2012.

The expat ministry secretary also said that they want to take the service to the expats' doorsteps.

"We want to evaluate the migration sector with quality not quantity," he said.