Barishal Divisional Commissioner Khalil Ahmed has urged people planning to go abroad to learn the language of their destination country, acquire relevant occupational skills, and follow government regulations by travelling through legal channels.
He said that people who go abroad without adequate skills often face various difficulties in the workplace. Those who travel abroad through illegal channels may face legal complications, imprisonment, and other problems.
He made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at a seminar titled “Safe Migration and Skills Development-2026”, held at 10:00 am on Monday in the conference room of the Barishal Technical Training Centre (TTC). The seminar was organised by the Barishal Technical Training Centre and the Women’s Technical Training Centre.
The seminar was chaired by Barishal Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate Md. Mamun Khandaker.
The Divisional Commissioner said he had so far travelled to 29 countries. Sharing his experiences of travelling to different countries, he said that proper preparation is essential before going abroad.
“Before going abroad, one should have an understanding of the language of the country one is going to. At the same time, one should acquire skills in at least one particular occupation. Without such preparation, it is difficult to achieve the expected benefits from going abroad,” he said.
He said that a large number of people from Bangladesh go abroad every year in search of employment. The remittances they send home play an important role in the country’s economy. However, ensuring safe migration requires prospective migrants to have accurate information, proper training, and adequate skills.
Praising the speakers at the seminar, the Divisional Commissioner said, “I liked all the speeches. I listened to you with great interest.” He also praised the speakers for their role in creating awareness about safe migration.
Engineer Md. Golam Kabir, Principal of the Barishal Technical Training Centre, delivered the welcome address. Ahmed Al Imran, Principal of the Women’s Technical Training Centre, and Engineer Md. Wahid Moral, Vice-Principal of the Barishal Technical Training Centre, delivered special remarks.
Khondkar Abul Hasan Limon, Director (BAPS); Kamruzzaman, Assistant Director of the Probashi Kallyan Centre, Barishal; and Md. Hannan Mia, Deputy Director of the Bangladesh Rural Development Board (BRDB), among others, spoke on migration-related issues.
They discussed the importance of travelling abroad through legal channels, receiving training before departure, gathering necessary information, and avoiding fraud by brokers or intermediaries.
The chief guest thanked Engineer Md. Golam Kabir, Principal of the Barishal Technical Training Centre, for inviting him to the event. He also said that the relevant director of the Department of Immigration and Passports should be invited to the next meeting.
He said that such an initiative would be important for providing prospective migrants with direct information about passports and the immigration process.
At the beginning of the programme, Md. Farhad Hossain, a trainer at TTC Barishal, recited verses from the Holy Quran. Amrit Lal Dutta, a senior instructor at the Women’s TTC, recited verses from the Holy Gita.
Officials from various government departments, representatives of social and professional organisations, trainers, trainees, and people planning to go abroad attended the seminar.