ILO and Bangladesh discuss skills training programs in Maldives to support migrant workers’ welfare, rights. Photo : High Commission

DHAKA, Feb 8, 2025 (BSS) - The International Labour Organization (ILO) today expressed keen interest in organising short-term, skills-oriented training 
programmes for Bangladeshi workers in the Maldives to meet labour market needs and enhance migrant welfare.

The issue was discussed when Joni Simpson, country director of the International Labour Organization (ILO) for Sri Lanka and the Maldives, met 
Bangladesh High Commissioner to the Maldives Md. Nazmul Islam at the Chancery Building of the Bangladesh High Commission in Male, according to a message 
received here.
 
The meeting focused on strengthening cooperation among Bangladesh, the Maldives and the ILO to safeguard the rights, dignity and overall welfare of 
Bangladeshi migrant workers in the Maldives.

During the discussion, Simpson noted that the Maldives is currently facing a labour shortage and stressed the importance of facilitating the deployment of 
skilled Bangladeshi workers to meet the country's workforce demands.
 
She reaffirmed the ILO's readiness to support grievance redress mechanisms for migrant workers and expressed interest in arranging short-term, skills-
based training programmes, subject to Bangladesh's initiative.

The High Commissioner said many of the challenges faced by Bangladeshi migrant workers cannot be effectively addressed through bilateral efforts 
alone, underscoring the need for a trilateral approach involving Bangladesh, the Maldives and the ILO.

He proposed exploring formal cooperation frameworks among the three parties to enhance coordination, protection and support for migrant workers, 
particularly in the areas of skills development, fair wages and labour rights.

Both sides discussed the scope for skill-focused training programmes aligned with the needs of the Maldivian labour market, as well as possible approaches 
to addressing minimum wage issues for Bangladeshi workers in the Maldives.

They also emphasised the importance of aligning ILO standards and policies with the labour framework of the Government of the Maldives to ensure 
comprehensive and inclusive protection for migrant workers.

The meeting concluded with optimism that enhanced trilateral cooperation would contribute to promoting safe, orderly and dignified labour migration 
and improve the overall wellbeing of Bangladeshi migrant workers in the Maldives.