New Labour Market Beckons: Migrants fly to Seychelles

As many as 121 migrant workers have left the country on Friday for East African nation Seychelles, which emerged as a new market opportunity for Bangladesh in recent years.

The migrant workers, at least 25 of whom were new workers, left Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) in a chartered flight, said Fakhrul Alam, assistant director of Expatriates' Welfare Desk set up at the airport by Expatriates' Welfare Ministry.

The new workers have got "approvals" for their employment in Seychelles from the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET), Fakhrul told this newspaper by phone yesterday.

On the other hand, most of the old workers had come home on vacation at different times but got stranded due to flight suspensions amid the pandemic, he said.

An archipelago in the Indian ocean, Seychelles signed an "agreement on labour cooperation" with Bangladesh in 2019.

The agreement stipulates the recruitment of skilled workers.

Talking with media at HSIA on Friday, BMET Director General Shahidul Alam said following the agreement signing in 2019, many Bangladeshi workers have gone to the East African country maintaining due government procedure.

Due to shutdown situation, workers' travel to Seychelles remained suspended for about five months, he told ProbashBarta, an online portal.

The DG said to have employment in Seychelles, Bangladeshi migrant workers do not have to spend money since Seychellois employers provide the necessary costs.

He said Bangladeshi workers have already been employed in Seychelles from earlier.

However, employment opportunities there for Bangladeshis have been strengthened following the 2019 agreement, he added.

He said they have been proactively promoting Seychelles' job market and encouraging aspirant migrant workers to seek employment there.

A process is underway to form a "joint working group" between the two countries. Once the working group is formed, it will be easier to look after the wellbeing of Bangladeshi migrant workers there, he added.

According to Seychelles Ministry of Employment and Social Affairs website, the 2019 agreement is the first of its kind between the two countries. It will be in place for a period of four years and renewable.

Under the agreement, Bangladesh Overseas Employment Services Limited, the state-run recruiting agent, and BMET are entitled to manage the whole recruitment process.

Seychelles imposed a moratorium on the recruitment of Bangladeshi workers there in October 2018, preventing local employers from sourcing their employees from Bangladesh, said a report of Seychelles Nation, a daily newspaper.

More than 1,600 Bangladeshi were recorded to be working in Seychelles as of August 2019, mostly in the construction and agricultural sectors, the report said.