The document was developed with the guidance of GoB, namely the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) and the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment (MoEWOE). The process of preparing the Framework involved data gathering consultations with stakeholders in Bangladesh, and selected countries of Malaysia and Kuwait for field visits through Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with returnees and also with Bangladesh migrants residing abroad now. The purpose of this data collection exercise was to prepare a Migration Crisis Operational Framework for Bangladesh that captures stakeholder’s views and mirrors the experiences of migrants themselves. The Framework document reflects that consultative approach and proposes key pillars on which to anchor Bangladesh’s approach in providing assistances to its nationals in countries experiences emergencies caused by human made and natural disasters. From the consultative data gathering exercise, carried out from March 2019 to September 2019, the Framework document proposes recommendations for implementation, and highlights key challenges in ensuring successful interventions to assist migrants in emergencies abroad. The document was validated in 2019 through a workshop with a wide range of stakeholders.

While the operationalization of MCOF is still at a nascent stage, it has been acknowledged that the framework contains key recommendations on policy, coordination, operational, consular preparation of emergency plans, suggested good practices for helping during crises, return and reintegration assistance and the involvement of migrants in planning and providing information and assistance during crises. A Policy brief was also developed to see the impact of COVID-19 on GCM (and also MiGOF and MCOF) noting the relevance of this as a tool for protecting the human rights, safety, and wellbeing of migrants, including through addressing drivers and mitigating situations of vulnerability in migration. We also see this as a basis for future programming to support the GoB in various interventions. Several orientation sessions have been conducted focusing on mechanisms to address crisis including sessions with labour welfare diplomats.

The draft National Action Plan for GCM has also identified ‘Objective 2: Minimize the adverse drivers and structural factors that compel people to leave their country of origin’ and ‘Objective 7: Address and reduce vulnerabilities in migration’ as a priority and proposes to operationalize the Bangladesh MCOF. We hope this will further be validated through the proposed inter-ministerial coordination mechanism for GCM (titled Bangladesh Migration Compact Taskforce).