The Economic Relations Division (ERD), Ministry of Finance, has recently signed a grant agreement worth € 3 million with the International Labour Organization (ILO).
The project entitled "Supporting a Talent Partnership with Bangladesh" will be implemented from 2024-2027 (three years) in collaboration with the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment and other stakeholders with support and financing from the European Union (EU).
Shahriar Kader Siddiky, secretary of the ERD, and Tuomo Poutiainen, country director of the ILO, signed the project agreement on behalf of their respective sides, said an ERD press release on Monday.
This project continues the long-standing legacy of collaboration between Bangladesh and the International Labour Organization (ILO) since Bangladesh's membership in the ILO on June 22, 1972.
Over the past 52 years, the ILO has provided both financial and technical assistance to promote inclusive economic growth, productive employment, and decent work for all in Bangladesh through partnerships with government agencies, employers and workers' organizations.
The signing was witnessed by Michal Krejza, head of Development Cooperation for the EU delegation to Bangladesh, AKM Sohel, additional secretary of ERD, Md Saiful Haque Chowdhury, additional secretary of the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment (MOEWOE), along with senior officials from ERD, ILO, TMED and other relevant government agencies.
The overall project objective is to upskill Bangladeshi migrant workers in occupational sectors such as health, engineering, ICT, care, hospitality, construction and agriculture, in alignment with skilled labour needs of the labour markets of Bangladesh and of select EU Member States.
Furthermore, the project will facilitate the establishment of regular and safe labour migration pathways between Bangladesh and select EU member states.
As a result, the project interventions will contribute to the achievement of Bangladesh's Five-Year Plan targets and the SDGs of education, labour and reduction of inequalities.
bd-pratidin/GR
