Babeș-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca (UBB), through the Centre for the Study of Transnational Families (CASTLE), together with Terre des hommes Romania, Terre des hommes Greece, and Terre des hommes Bangladesh, publicly launched on March 11 the project “Support for the Vulnerable – Transnational Social Protection of Bangladeshi Migrant Families (CASTLE2),” an initiative aimed at improving access to protection and services for Bangladeshi migrants in Romania and Greece and their families in the country of origin.

The project was co-funded by the European Union and contracted by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) through the Migration Partnership Facility.

The number of Bangladeshi citizens migrating for work to Romania had increased significantly in recent years. Although migration brought important opportunities, many migrants faced language barriers, high recruitment costs, limited access to social services, and situations of vulnerability. At the same time, families remaining in Bangladesh often bore social, emotional, and economic burdens related to migration, having limited formal support mechanisms available.

The project aimed to produce in-depth research, to train professionals in Romania to work more effectively with the Bangladeshi community, to provide accurate information to migrants and their families, and to create platforms for dialogue between authorities, civil society, and academia.

The main activities of the project included:

• research on the vulnerabilities and needs of transnational families;
• training for professionals in Romania (social workers, local authorities, service providers);
• information campaigns and community activities for migrants and young people;
• policy dialogues and exchanges of practices between Romania, Greece, and Bangladesh;
• training for journalists to promote a balanced narrative on migration.

The project officially started on February 15, 2026, and was set to run for a period of 27 months across three countries: Bangladesh, Romania, and Greece. CASTLE2 aimed to improve access to rights, services, and protection mechanisms for Bangladeshi migrants and their transnational families by developing and applying the concept of Hybrid Transnational Social Protection.

The project involved research activities, institutional capacity building, information and outreach actions, as well as public policy dialogue, engaging key stakeholders from both countries of origin and destination of migration.