International Organization for Migration (IOM) Director General Amy Pope has said Bangladesh is the birthplace of the Global Migration Framework and the first champion country to address migration issues and implement policies that safeguard migrants’ rights.
“Bangladesh is the birthplace of the Global Migration Framework. Eight years ago Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as the first leader advocated for the Global Migration Framework to the secretary general at the general assembly. And two years later, in 2018, the United Nations came up with a global compact for safe, regular and orderly migration,” she said while explaining the reasons for choosing Bangladesh to launch the World Migration Report 2024 at a hotel in the capital on Tuesday.
The IOM, in its history of 73 years, launched its World Migration Report outside Geneva for the first time. In her speech, the director general of the organisation presented the findings on global and Bangladesh perspectives.
She said 169 million migrants working globally remitted $831 billion, including $647 billion to low and middle-income countries. And 51.9% of migrant workers were male while 48.1% were female.
Amy Pope, the first woman director general of the IOM, said 281 million of international migrants consist of 3.6% of global population and international remittances have increased from $128 billion in 2000 to $831 billion in 2022.
According to her, 72.1 million people were internally displaced in 2022 and 117 million people were living in displacement globally.
Highlighting the Bangladesh perspective of migration, she said unfortunately 12% of the total fortune seekers who lost their lives while crossing the Mediterranean were Bangladeshis.
Bangladesh received $21.9 billion as remittances in 2023 through legal channels and if the data of remittances received through irregular channels are included, it would be much higher.
