Sumaiya Islam is a migrant rights defender whose organisation, Bangladesh Ovibashi Mohila Sramik Association (BOMSA), conducts pre-departure personal security trainings with Bangladeshi women leaving to work in the Persian Gulf. Islam uses social media and broadcast television to fight for better state protection of Bangladeshi migrant women. The labour migration sector in Bangladesh is primarily run by the private sector. There are nearly 800 Recruiting Agencies (RA) who are mainly responsible for procuring overseas jobs and processing the visa on behalf of the individuals. In 2015, she received a phone call from the Minister of Expatriates, Welfare, and Overseas Employment after she appeared opposite him on BBC Bangla. The minister threatened to file a case against her related to comments on the show. He reportedly said that he would not press charges if the WHRD retracted her statements during her next public interview.