National Human Rights Commission – Bangladesh (NHRCB) Replies to the issues raised in CMW /C/BGD/Q/1 Presented at the Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (CMW) March 2017 Introduction The United Nations International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families (hereafter “CMW” or “the Convention”) is the most comprehensive, migrantspecific instrument for the protection of migrant workers and their family members. Thirteen years after the adoption of this Convention, Bangladesh ratified it on 24 August 2011.1 The ratification of CMW was a success story of the advocacy efforts of NHRC – Bangladesh. Several consultations and discussions were held by NHRCB with multiple stake holders including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to encourage the government of Bangladesh to ratify the Convention2. The initial report was due since December 2012 and same was submitted by the State party on 28 December, 2015. This report is prepared and submitted by NHRC3 – Bangladesh, seeks to reply selected issues raised by the Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families. The replies are formulated based on several consultations and discussions held with stake holders including government agencies, civil society organizations and intergovernmental agencies. Responses to the issues below are sequenced as per the list of issues raised by the Committee. General Information- Issues 1 - 3 In Bangladesh, the domestic legal regime and policies applicable to international labour migration consists of the following;     The Constitution of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, The Overseas Employment and Migrants Act 2013, The Wage Earners’ Welfare Fund Rules 20024, The Emigration Rules 20025, 1 The Cabinet consented to the ratification of the Convention without reservation on 12 April 2011. The ratification was formally communicated to the United Nations on 24 August 2011. 2 http://archive.thedailystar.net/law/2011/02/03/event.htm 3 Established under the National Human Rights Commission Act No 53 of 2009. The Commission would like to draw the attention of the Committee on Migrant workers on the official title of the Commission ; which reads as National Human Rights Commission , Bangladesh as per the law No.53 of 2009. 4 The Wage Earners' Welfare Board (WEWB) was established in 1990, with the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) to extend welfare services to the migrant workers. 5 The Emigration Rules was framed in 2002 pursuant to section 19 of the Emigration Ordinance 1982 which provides for appointment of a Registrar articulating the powers and duties for the overseeing the recruiting agent. It also provides for appointment of labour attache in the Bangladesh Mission abroad articulating its duties. 1