world and they sent remittances worth $21.6 billion in 2022 contributing around 5.5% to the country’s GDP. 50. Despite the efforts of the government to ensure safe, orderly and regular migration for workers, the Commission is concerned about the high migration cost, reported incidents of unemployment, denial of promised salary, poor living and working conditions faced by many Bangladeshi migrant workers. On the other hand, during the Covid-19 pandemic, many migrant workers were forced to return to Bangladesh and many of them could not succeed in returning to their workplaces. 51. The Commission recommends that the government negotiate with the destination countries to ensure the protection of Bangladeshi migrant workers (including the undocumented ones) such as salary, allowance, sick leave and job security as per the employment contract. The Commission further recommends strengthening the regulation of recruitment agencies, making easy access to consular and legal services for migrant workers, and reviewing regularly the existing bilateral agreements with the host countries to update the labour and social protection provided therein. The government should develop skilled workforces as per the demand of the overseas market and take initiative to send more skilled to the destination countries. Lastly, the government should ensure the proper reintegration of the returnee migrant workers. Human Rights of Rohingya 52. The Commission highly appreciates the continuing humanitarian efforts of the government dedicated to the displaced Rohingya population of Myanmar in Bangladesh. Despite its security, economic and environmental challenges, the government is trying its best to manage the Rohingya population in the refugee camps in cooperation with international partners. Since repatriation is considered the best solution to a refugee crisis, the government should ensure that the repatriation of the Rohingya should be done in a safe, voluntary and dignified manner. Furthermore, the relocation of the Rohingyas to Bhasanchor should be made on a voluntary basis. The Commission expects that the government will continue its humanitarian aid and action in keeping with Bangladesh’s international legal obligations. The Commission expects that international community need to play more responsible and active role in solving the Rohingya crisis. Way Ahead 53. Since 2013, the government took part in the 2nd Cycle and the 3rd Cycle UPRs, as well as several treaty body considerations, including 03 initial state party reports on the ICCPR, the ICESCR, and the UNCAT. A good number of recommendations came from these reviews. The Commission thinks that there should have been more coordination among the different agencies and authorities of the government, which could expedite the implementation of these recommendations. Of course, the COVID-19 situation served as a huge impediment to the implementation of these recommendations. The Commission expects that despite this unfortunate setback as well as challenges posed by the global geopolitical crisis, the government will remain doubly committed to continuing its efforts to realise its international human rights obligations concerning the promotion and protection of human rights. 14