Bangladesh and the European Union agreed Monday to work together to ensure legal and regular migration, stop irregular migration and human trafficking, and expand job opportunities for Bangladeshi skilled workers in the EU labour market.

The agreement came at a bilateral meeting at the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment in Dhaka, according to a ministry press release.

Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury led the Bangladesh side. Magnus Brunner, the EU Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, led the EU delegation. State Minister for Expatriates’ Welfare Md Nurul Haque was also present.

Chowdhury said the government led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is committed to ensuring regular migration and has taken strict steps to curb irregular migration and restore discipline in the sector. He said the licences of 52 recruiting agencies have been cancelled so far.

He said Bangladesh is working as an EU “Talent Partner” on skills development and asked the bloc to widen access to its labour market for Bangladeshi skilled workers.

Ministry Secretary Md Mokhtar Ahmed said Bangladesh is committed to safe, orderly and regular migration. He sought full EU cooperation to create jobs for Bangladeshi workers in information technology, construction, textiles, shipbuilding, agriculture and hospitality under the Bangladesh-EU Talent Partnership. He also sought EU support for skills assessment and certification to European standards, language training, improvement of digital recruitment systems, and reintegration of returnee workers under the National Resettlement Policy 2025.

Brunner said the EU is ready to provide all support to curb illegal migration and human trafficking and to ensure migration through legal channels. He said about 500,000 Bangladeshis are living legally in various EU countries.

Brunner also said a stable government and stable conditions in Bangladesh have improved the situation regarding asylum applications, and that Bangladesh is now being considered a “safe country”.

Others present at the meeting included Dr Md Shakirul Islam Khan, special assistant to the prime minister; Additional Secretary Md Saiful Haque Chowdhury; Mohammad Rashedul Haque, managing director of the Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services Limited (BOESL); and Joint Secretaries Debjit Singha and Md Shahidul Islam Chowdhury.

The EU delegation also included Director Henrik Nielsen, cabinet member Grigorios Delavekouras and the commissioner’s communications adviser Lukas Gassner. EU Ambassador to Bangladesh Michael Miller, Deputy Head of Delegation Baiba Zarina, and First Counsellor and Political Officer Kamila Partyska attended on behalf of the EU Delegation.