International Organization for Migration has reiterated its support towards the priorities of Bangladesh for expanding the legal pathways for migration, including skill matching, awareness campaigns, elder care and vocational training.
The pledge was made when visiting director of the global office of the IOM in Washington D.C. Michele Sison called on the acting foreign secretary Md Ruhul Alam Siddique on Monday at the foreign ministry in Dhaka, said a ministry鈥檚 press release on Tuesday.
During the meeting, Sison also acknowledged IOM鈥檚 support in reintegration, climate resilience and institutional capacity building.
The acting foreign secretary reaffirmed Bangladesh鈥檚 zero-tolerance policy on human trafficking and stressed the need for global collaboration in integrated border management.
Sison briefed Ruhul Alam about the recent visit by a US congressional staff delegation to Bangladesh, organised under the 鈥業OM Field Education Programme鈥�, aimed at giving first-hand insight to US policymakers about the IOM鈥檚 field operations in Bangladesh and other related initiatives.
She applauded Bangladesh鈥檚 humanitarian commitment in sheltering over a million Rohingyas.
In his response, the acting foreign secretary reiterated the urgent need for sustained international support, particularly as global attention and funding is on the decline.
Ruhul Alam emphasised on the importance of safe, voluntary and dignified return of the Rohingyas to their homeland.
The IOM director expressed her keen interest for participating at the proposed high-level meeting on Rohingya crisis to be organised on the sidelines of the 80th UNGA.
She highlighted the importance of organising such events at the highest global platforms to enliven the discussion on one of the worst humanitarian crises of the world.
The acting foreign secretary also highlighted the growing concern of climate-induced displacement in Bangladesh and welcomed IOM鈥檚 efforts to build a database on climate-displaced persons in collaboration with CEGIS.
Reportedly this will be the IOM鈥檚 first official endeavour in Bangladesh to count internally displaced persons.
The meeting was concluded with a shared commitment to deepening collaboration between Bangladesh and IOM in addressing global migration and humanitarian challenges.
