Bangladesh Embassy in Italy honours top remittance senders to mark International Migrants Day
Oru Leonard
Embassy of Bangladesh, Rome, Italy distributed “Remittance Award” to six expatriate Bangladesh nationals and one business organization on the occasion of “International Migrants Day-2021″. Held at 5 pm on Monday, December 20, 2021, they received the Awards as the top remittance senders to Bangladesh from Italy between the period July 2020 – June 2021. Mr. Md. Shameem Ahsan, Bangladesh Ambassador to Italy, handed over the Awards among the recipients.
The programme included, among others, recitation from the Holy Quran, reading out of the messages of the President, Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, Minister of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment and Secretary, Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, discussion and distribution of Certificates and Crests. At the beginning of the discussion session, Mr. Md. Arfanul Hoque, Counsellor (Labor Welfare) of the Embassy, made a presentation on various activities undertaken by the Government of Bangladesh for the protection of the rights of expatriates for their welfare and to encourage sending of more remittances through legal channels and also on the role of the Embassy in this regard. The Awardees, who joined in person as well as digitally, also spoke and sincerely thanked the Embassy for the recognition.
Ambassador Ahsan, in his remarks, warmly congratulated all the Awardees while acknowledging the significant contribution being made by the Bangladesh diaspora for the buoyancy of the economy of the country by sending valuable remittances. He paid deep tribute to the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman while mentioning that the year 2021 was very special for the nation as Mujib Borsho (celebration of birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman) and Golden Jubilee of the great Independence and glorious Victory coincided this year. He added that the present government under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is an expatriate-friendly government and highlighted the major steps taken by the Government in the context of this year’s theme of the day “শতবর্ষে জাতির পিতা, সুবর্ণে স্বাধীনতা অভিবাসনে আনবো মর্যাদা ও নৈতিকতা”. 
Mr. Ahsan pointedly mentioned that the Government of Bangladesh remains committed in favour of legal migration. He further said that during the covid-19 pandemic, a large number of Bangladesh nationals who were stranded in different countries were brought back to the country and financial assistance was provided by the government to the expatriates who were facing serious difficulties for loss of jobs. The Embassy has been working hard to solve problems relating to passports and improve service delivery – the Ambassador added.
The Awardees of 2021 in ‘individual category (male)’ are: Mr. Mohammad Jahangir Farazy, Mr. Kartic Chandra Ghosh, Mr. Shahajalal Milon, Mr. Raihan Mohammad Uddin Rassel, and in ‘individual category (female)’Mrs. Habiba Kabir and Mrs. Mehenas Tabbasum. Bangla SRL won the Award in the ‘organization category’.
Bangladesh Embassy in Rome launched “Remittance Award” in 2019 to encourage and promote remittances to Bangladesh through legal channels. It may be mentioned here that the International Migrants Day, which falls on 18 December, could not be organized on the designated day due to unavoidable circumstances. Officers and Officials of the Mission and Awardees were present at the event. In view of the severity of covid-19 pandemic in Italy, the programme was organized in an in-house setting in a hybrid format with the minimum presence in compliance with the strict Health Advisory of the host country. The guests were served with refreshments.
