Bangladesh, as a member of the Colombo Process, took over the rotational chairmanship of this regional consultative process on 14 December 2009. After three successful Ministerial Consultations, the ‘Fourth Ministerial Consultation for Asian Labour Sending Countries’ was hosted by Government of Bangladesh in Dhaka, in April 2011.

The Colombo Process platform was initiated with the primary objective of facilitating greater regional dialogue and cooperation on the management of labour migration amongst the major labour sending countries. Since its inception in 2003, it has developed into the leading regional consultative process on labour migration in Asia. It has expanded its collaboration with destination countries as witnessed through the successful meeting of the Abu Dhabi Dialogue in January 2008, and the Asia - EU Dialogue later the same year. A further consultation between Europe and Colombo Process countries took place in February 2011.

The collective effort of Colombo Process Member States to make progress in forging such a broad platform has resulted in a greatly enhanced framework for cooperation. Today, there is tremendous scope to further expand the level and areas of collaboration and understanding through this forum.

The Fourth Ministerial Consultation has provided an opportunity to reinvigorate dialogue with Colombo Process Member States plus relevant destination countries, and observers, by reviewing past activities of the Colombo Process, taking stock of the current situation regarding the implementation of primary objectives of setting up such a process, and charting future directions for the Colombo Process. Thus, combined efforts have become even more effective in helping to respond to the challenges of labour mobility in the context of today’s globalized society.