By Taymur Reza Ratul, LLM — Lawyer in Bangladesh, S Hossain and Associates.
Remittance sent by workers abroad is the major source of foreign exchange in Bangladesh. Millions of Bangladeshis wish to immigrate to countries like EU countries, Malaysia, USA, Middle East every year. Although most of them go to foreign countries through legal channel, many workers knowingly or unknowingly chose to travel to Europe or Malaysia without proper visa by help of international human traffickers. Bangladesh Government has enacted strict laws against these heinous crime. Many Bangladeshis have been killed or have died trying to immigrate to Europe or Malaysia illegally.
Since the 1960s, Bangladesh met with regular and enormous labor migration to overseas countries and it is now one of the salient remittance gaining countries in Asia. With a few exceptions, manpower export has been showing increasing trend year by year. Most of the expatriates, who are largely unskilled, are working in the Middle East countries and in the UK and the USA and Europe. Like overseas employment, remittance flow has been increasing every year with its increased share in GDP and becomes a vital element for accelerating economic growth in Bangladesh.
In village areas most of the people think that if they can go abroad they can easily change their financial state. And this mindset puts them in danger as many of them choose to go to foreign countries through unlawful means.
Overseas Employment and Migrants Act 2013
Chapter (ii) of this Act deals with sending workers overseas, migration and other such matters. Chapter (iii) of this Act deals elaborately with recruitment agents, licensing and similar matters. Chapter (vii) of this Act addresses the rights of migrant workers. Chapter (viii) discusses penalties for sending migrants in a wrongful manner, offences, penalty and trial.
The OEMA 2013 provides for penalty and jail term against persons or recruiting agencies for flouting the provisions of OEMA 2013. The license of any recruiting agent may also be cancelled for flouting the provisions of OEMA 2013.
The Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking Act 2012
This Act also gives protection to migrant people, women and children. Sections 7 and 8 provide punishment of 7 years imprisonment and/or 5 lac taka fine for committing the offence of organizing human trafficking or conspiring, instigating or attempting to commit human trafficking.