Lakshmipur, Bangladesh: As of 6th June, migrant workers are able to register at the Technical Training Centre (TTC) in Lakshmipur. The registration process – which includes taking the fingerprint of the departing migrant workers – is a pre-requisite for the issuance of SMART cards and the formal departure of migrants for employment in other countries.
Lakshmipur is one of the districts in Bangladesh that does not have a District Employment and Manpower Office (DEMO). DEMO is the agency authorised to conduct registrations and other pre-departure requirements. With the opening of this TTC, departing migrant workers from Lakshmipur need not go to other districts with DEMOs to register, thereby saving them money and time.
The chief guest at the launch, the Deputy Commissioner of Lakshmipur, Mr. Md. Anwar Hossain Akand said that “migrants are the driving force of the economy. When a large number of people go abroad, a huge amount of remittances come back to Bangladesh. Therefore, the country’s economy will be further accelerated if the migrants can go safely and be provided with employment opportunities.” He added that around 900,000 people have gone abroad from Lakshmipur since 2009. The district administration is ready to serve the migrants if needed.
The TTC Principal, Md. Gias Uddin Ahmed, said that “from now on, migrants will be able to benefit from registering and having their fingerprints taken in Lakshmipur by depositing BDT 200 per person in the bank as a government fee. They will no longer have to go to Cumilla or Noakhali.” He also conveyed his gratitude to ICMPD for taking the initiative.
The registration of migrant workers in 10 districts without DEMOs is part of the MIGRAP initiative of the project Improving Migration Management in Bangladesh implemented by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development and funded by the European Union. Capacity building was also provided to the TTCs for this purpose under the MARIP Bangladesh project funded by Germany. Aside from Lakshmipur, registrations are also already open in Meherpur, Brahmanbaria and Narayanganj. The six remaining districts are Nilphamari, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Madaripur, Shariatpur and Sunamganj.
The teachers and instructors of TTC Lakshmipur, along with the Counsellors of ICMPD, local journalists and migrants were present during the opening ceremony.
