There is an opportunity for 10,000 Bangladeshi workers to legally migrate to Italy every year, a figure that rises to 12,000 when including their family members, State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam said on Monday.
He shared this information while speaking to reporters at the Secretariat following a meeting between Italian Ambassador to Bangladesh Antonio Alessandro and Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Abdul Moyeen Khan.
State Minister Mir Shahe Alam and Local Government Division Secretary Md Shahidul Hasan were also present at the meeting.
Curbing illegal migration
Shahe Alam noted that there is a large population of illegal immigrants in Italy, pointing out that approximately 60 to 70 per cent of the 250,000 Bangladeshis currently living in Italy originate from the Shariatpur and Madaripur districts.
To curb the risks associated with illegal migration to Italy by sea, a proposal has been made to conduct joint workshops with local administrations and public representatives in the Shariatpur, Madaripur, and Faridpur regions.
The state minister clarified that no discussion took place during the meeting regarding the legalisation of those currently residing in Italy illegally. He added that the Ministry of Home Affairs will take strict action against individuals attempting to migrate illegally through brokers.
Skills and urban co-operation
Regarding the outcomes of the meeting, the state minister stated that both nations have agreed to focus on enhancing the skills of Bangladeshi workers, providing language training, and fostering mutual co-operation in environmental management.
As part of an exchange programme for skilled manpower, Italy will send representatives to teach the Italian language to Bangladeshi workers and trainers.
Moreover, an invitation has been extended for Bangladeshi architects to undergo skill-development training in Italy. Once a specific list is finalised, mayors and architects from various city corporations will be sent on this study visit.
Additionally, Italy has agreed to collaborate on food waste prevention and food security in Bangladesh, modelled after the Italian city of Milan. Khulna City Corporation has been selected to pilot this initiative.
Speaking to reporters, Italian Envoy Antonio Alessandro described the meeting as a fruitful courtesy call that touched upon trade, migration, and friendly relations between the cities of the two countries to further strengthen bilateral ties.
On a separate note, Shahe Alam revealed that the High Commissioner of Malaysia has been requested to recruit 200,000 Bangladeshi workers.
