The Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU), an affiliate of the University of Dhaka, has been functioning as a research, training, and policy advocacy institution since 1996. Its primary focus has been on migration, refugee, displacement, and governance issues. Migration has been identified as one of the major socio-economic challenges that will require serious engagement of the global community in the 21st century. The complexity of varied types of migration processes has increasingly become a major area of research and concomitant policy intervention. In its thirty years of existence Bangladesh has experienced varied kinds of migratory patterns. These include, refugee flow to and out of the country, long-term migration to the West, and short-term contract migration to the Gulf and South East Asia. Movements of population have major policy ramifications for Bangladesh. The country's economy is very much dependent on the remittances of the migrants. Again some movements have impinged upon the national integration process of the country and others have affected bilateral relations. Therefore, research and information on all such kinds of population movements are essential for formulating effective policies. In 1996 RMMRU was established to study population movements both within and across national borders. Over the years, advocacy, awareness campaign, and training also became part of core activities of RMMRU.

Objectives:

• To increase understanding of the potential contribution of migration for pro poor growth and poverty reduction in Asia.
• To be the premier resource centre on migration, refugee and displacement issues in South Asia.
• Initiate regional collaborative research to understand the links between migration and poverty reduction.
• To provide training and disseminate and promote the idea among young academics, professionals, grassroots leaders, NGO activists that orderly and managed migration can reduce poverty and benefit receiving and sending regions and that migration is an important livelihood strategy to move out of poverty.
• Establish network with academics and activists of South Asia on issues of migration for policy advocacy at national and regional levels.

Organizational Structure:

The Unit has a twelve-member general body and a five-member Executive Committee (EC). EC is the decision-making authority. The Executive Committee meets at least once in two months. RMMRU is headed by an Executive Director. It may be noted that the activities of the Unit are coordinated and supervised by the Executive Director and the Executive Committee members on a voluntary basis. British Council, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, International Labour Organization, International Organization for Migration, and Solidarity Center of Colombo have provided support to RMMRU in implementation of some of its programmes. A large part of RMMRU's activity is conducted by voluntary work.