Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain on Wednesday advised the International Organization of Migration (IOM) to facilitate the process of safe and regular migration for skilled human resources. He highlighted the importance of creating databases for jobseekers and using digital tools for skills profiling and matching. The issue was discussed when new Chief of Mission of IOM Bangladesh, Lance Bonneau, submitted the letter of credence to the Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain. The Adviser welcomed the new IOM chief to Bangladesh. Bonneau mentioned that preserving the integrity of regular migration is one of the priorities of IOM’s strategic plan. The Adviser assured him of required support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in continuing IOM’s activities in Bangladesh.

The government of South Korea has decided to provide emergency support of US$ 1 million to the International Organization of Migration (IOM) in order to support the humanitarian activities in response to the massive fire that broke out recently at the Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar. According to international agencies, the fire that broke out on March 22 heavily damaged Camp 9, Camp 8E, and Camp 8W located in Kutupalong Balukhali area, Cox’s Bazar, with approximately 10,100 households destroyed and about 48,000 Rohingya refugees displaced. Also read: $ 20mn required to respond to urgent needs after Rohingya camps fire: IOM The Korean Government’s support will help international humanitarian agencies’ response and recovery activities benefit the most affected and rebuild the destroyed refugee shelters and living facilities, including LPG distribution, latrines, and bathing systems. Since the outbreak of the Rohingya refugee crisis in 2017, the Republic of Korea has been providing annually four to five million US dollars for activities of international humanitarian agencies such as UNHCR, UNICEF, IOM, WFP, and IFRC for responding to the large scale international humanitarian crisis and supporting for Bangladesh host community. Also read: Fire at Rohingya camp caused 'enormous devastation': UNICEF The Embassy of the Republic of Korea said they will continue to make its best effort to address the humanitarian crisis and the ultimate repatriation of Rohingya refugees in close cooperation with the Bangladesh Government and the international community.

One hundred sixty four Bangladeshi migrants, including nine survivors of the tragic Mizdah incident in Libya, have returned home on a voluntary humanitarian flight from Libya .

South Korea will contribute US$5.86 million to International Organization of Migration (IOM) for a five-year project from 2020 to 2024 to address human trafficking in Bangladesh.