On 2nd August 2026, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) organized a national launch event for the National Action Plan for the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, Regular Migration (GCM). On CPRD’s behalf, Shanjia Shams, Research Officer – Gender and Human Rights, joined that event.
The Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM), as the first intergovernmentally negotiated UN Framework on international migration adopted in 2018, provides a comprehensive roadmap for strengthening migration governance through international cooperation, shared responsibility, and respect for human rights. It outlines 23 objectives and 10 guiding principles that promote safe migration pathways and enhance the benefits of migration while addressing challenges such as vulnerabilities, limited regular pathways, and gaps in data and protection. Building on its pledge at the International Migration Review Forum (IMRF), Bangladesh has developed its National Action Plan (NAP) for 2026–2030, with technical support from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and funded by the European Union (EU). The NAP translates the GCM objectives into national priorities, actions and indicators, adopting a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach.
Developed through a government-led consultative process involving a wide range of stakeholders, the NAP serves as guidelines for implementing GCM, and it is aligned with Bangladesh’s national development priorities, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and international human rights standards. It reflects a coordinated national effort to promote safe, orderly and regular migration. It was approved by the Cabinet, chaired by the Honourable Prime Minister, on 21 May 2026, marking a key milestone in advancing Bangladesh’s migration governance agenda.
Representatives from the Government, members of the Bangladesh Migration Compact Taskforce (BMCT), Bangladesh UN Network on Migration (BDUNNM) and its Technical Working Groups (TWGs), development partners, private sector, civil society and other stakeholders attended the event.
As the Chief Guest, Mr. Ariful Haque Choudhury, MP, Hon’ble Minister, Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, acknowledged the issue that migration is not an economic or environmental problem anymore; it’s more than a political problem nowadays. He assured that the government is working on addressing the distinguished challenges and will collaborate with relevant multilayered stakeholders for implementing the NAP and enhancing the benefits of the principles of GCM for Bangladesh.
For CPRD, the launch of the NAP (2026–2030) for the GCM presents a vital strategic opportunity to embed climate-induced mobility, loss-and-damage research, and rights-based adaptation directly into national policy frameworks. As migration increasingly intersects with climate impacts – moving beyond purely economic dimensions – CPRD can leverage its field-based evidence to bridge critical data gaps, directly informing the quantitative indicators used to track NAP execution. By actively engaging in multi-stakeholder platforms like the Bangladesh Migration Compact Taskforce (BMCT) and its Technical Working Groups, CPRD can advocate for structured protections, gender-sensitive safety nets, and safe, voluntary relocation pathways for vulnerable climate-displaced communities, ensuring that climate migrants’ basic rights, land security, and social cohesion are prioritized within national development agendas.
