Mass media playing vital role for migrant workers: Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury

Mass media is playing a vital role for the well-being of the Bangladeshi migrant workers, the Daily Observer Editor Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury has said.

“Migrant workers should be aware of their rights. As long as they are not aware of their rights, the problems of migrant workers will not resolve,” he said.

Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, also the former Media Advisor to Prime Minister, said this while speaking as the chief guest at a consultation meeting held at Dhaka Reporters Unity in the capital on Sunday.

International Trade Union Confederation-Bangladesh Council (ITUC-BC) and Labor Rights Journalists Forum arranged the meeting, titled “Consultation meeting with the Labour Rights Journalists Forum on migration issues.”

Mass media and migrant workers’ bodies, including ITUC-BC, could play significant role for the welfare of migrants, Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury observed.

He said the tendency of going abroad to make a fortune should be changed as ‘our country is advancing fast with developments.’

Presided over by former Chairperson of ITUC-BC Anwar Hossain, Daily Bangladesh Khabar and Bangladesh News Editor Azizul Islam Bhuiyan, Labour Rights Journalists Forum president Quazi Abdul Hannan, general secretary Md Ataur Rahman; WARBE Development Foundation chairman Syed Saiful Haque, psychiatrist Dr Anis Ahmed and Industrial Global Union Program Co-ordinator Md Rafiqul Alam, among others, spoke at the event.

Sakil Akhter Chowdhury, national coordinator of Migration Recruitment Advisor, presented the keynote paper.

At the event, a new website “Migration Recruitment Advisor (MRA)” was also launched by the guests.