Source: dhakatribune.com

She made the call while inaugurating the ninth GFMD (Global Forum on Migration and Development) summit held on Saturday at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the city.

Some 466 representatives from 125 countries have come to attend the three day long summit that will end on December 12. The summit started with the concept “Migration that works for Sustainable Development for All: Towards a Transformative Migration Agenda.”

“We need to ensure that each migrant moves and works in dignity and safety,” said the prime minister said.

Migration is no longer about ‘us’ and ‘them,’ it is about prosperity and well-being of all people, all states.

“People move for so many purposes, not just for work,” she said.

“In a globalised world, people will continue to move in large numbers. Therefore, the challenge is how we can facilitate safe, orderly and regular movement of people more.”

Hasina said that in the recent years there has been an intense focus and advancement on migration issues.

“We recognise that migration connects communities, economies and societies. Migration is equally essential for peace, stability and growth.”

Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali delivered the welcome speech while Expatriates Welfare Minister Nurul Islam and Local Government Minister Khandker Mosharraf Hossain were present at the function.

Francois Fouinat, senior adviser of the UN secretary general for International Migration, Lakshmi Puri, deputy executive director of UN Women, and Guy Ryder, director general of International Labour Organization (ILO) also spoke at the opening ceremony of the summit.

Three side-events titled “Towards a gender-responsive global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration,” “Migration and development: a roadmap to a global compact,” and “Promoting fair and ethical recruitment in the global economy” and three sessions titled “Cooperation in global governance,” “Cooperation in social governance” and “Cooperation in labour market governance” was held throughout the day.