Published :
Updated :
For all latest news, follow The Financial Express Google News channel.
As many as 12 per cent of the total deaths in the Mediterranean this year were Bangladeshi citizens, said the UN migration agency on Tuesday, revealing a grim picture of Bangladeshi migrant aspirants in Europe.
Visiting Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Amy Pope said this while releasing the World Migration Report 2024 at an event in the city.
Launching the global report here in Bangladesh for the first time outside Geneva makes sense, she said.
"In this extraordinary country we have all of the elements of a complex migration landscape that we see all over the world … the effects of climate change, shifting age demographics, the global demand…," she continued.
She recounted that the irregular migration contributes to national economies but also shows how tragically irregular migration makes people more vulnerable.
"In fact, 12% of the deaths of those crossing the Mediterranean this year have been nationals of this country," she mentioned.
She, however, said the country is on the pathway to reduce inequality and enhance prosperity. "Bangladesh is arguably the birthplace of the migration governance framework under which we operate today."
The report showed significant shifts in the global migration patterns driven by a record number of displaced people and a major increase in international remittances.
More than 40 per cent of all international migrants worldwide in 2020 (115 million) were born in Asia, with nearly 20 per cent primarily originating from six Asian countries, including India (the largest country of origin), China, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Philippines, and Afghanistan.
The report highlights that international migration remained a driver of human development and economic growth, highlighted by a more than 650 per cent increase in international remittances from 2000 to 2022, rising from $128 billion to $831 billion.
The growth continued despite predictions from many analysts that remittances would decrease substantially because of Covid-19.
Of that $831 billion in remittances, $647 billion were sent by migrants to low-and middle-income countries. These remittances can constitute a significant portion of those countries' GDPs, and globally, these remittances now surpass foreign direct investment (FDI) in those countries.
With an estimated 281 million international migrants worldwide, the number of displaced individuals due to conflict, violence, disaster, and other reasons has surged to the highest levels in modern-day records, reaching 117 million, underscoring the urgency of addressing displacement crises.
Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud also spoke at the event as the special guest.
He said that Bangladesh will not only continue to act upon the pledges it has made for its domestic context but would also take up emerging issues and challenges about migration and development for informed deliberations at the international level.
Md Ruhul Amin, Secretary of the Ministry of Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment, and ambassador Masud Bin Momen also addressed the event while the ambassador of Australia and EU head of delegation also spoke.