Tk 50,000 for migrant workers returning jobless

GBNEWS24DESK//

Under insurance coverage, the government will provide Tk 50,000 to each migrant worker who will return home jobless within six months of their migration.

“We want to call this [situation] ‘failed migration’,” said Sarwoer Alam, senior assistant secretary of expatriates’ welfare ministry, while elaborating the insurance scheme at an event yesterday.

However, this benefit will not be applicable for those whose full migration cost will be borne by the employer, according to the insurance policy.

The government yesterday upgraded the compulsory “Probashi Karmi Bima” keeping this clause.

An agreement in this regard was signed between the ministry’s Wage Earners’ Welfare Board and state-owned Jiban Bima Corporation (JBC) at the capital’s Probashi Kalyan Bhaban.

At the ceremony, Ahmed Munirus Saleheen, senior secretary of expatriates’ welfare ministry, said JBC agreed on the clause although there is no data on how many migrants return home each year jobless.

Unavoidable situations may arise, and for this, the ministry came up with measures like insurance coverage, he said.

Under the insurance, a maximum of Tk 10 lakh will be paid for the death of a migrant worker due to an accident. The timespan for the insurance will be five years, and migrant workers, aged between 18 and 55, have to pay a one-time Tk 1,000 as premium to come under its coverage.

The total amount will also be given in case of different organ losses of migrant workers.

Addressing the ceremony as chief guest, Expatriates’ Welfare Minister Imran Ahmad said in many cases, the ministry, through the welfare board, has to provide financial support for treatment of ailing migrant workers.

To address this issue, he urged local insurance companies to find a policy to bring migrant workers under health-insurance coverage while they are working abroad.

Besides, the ministry will consider if any foreign insurance company comes up with a proposal in this regard, he added.

Mizanul Hoque Chowdhury, managing director of JBC, said from December 1, 2019 till January this year, about 20.53 lakh migrant workers have come under the insurance coverage.