In Saudi Arabia, he tenaciously raised voices against the exploitation of Bangladeshi expatriate workers even at personal risks. It helped changing many rules for the good of the expatriates.
In early 1990s, he started a drumbeat against the sale of women and children into slave like servitude especially trafficking of young boys into camel jockeys in the Gulf countries. The U. S. Congress arranged a hearing on the Asian Slave Trade and when a total of 54 U. S. Senators and Congressmen sent strong letters to the Gulf States, abuse of minor boys as camel jockeys was reduced. In addition, after the hearings, President Bill Clinton signed into law two bills relating to (1) circumcison of young girls and (2) use of girls for sex trade by Americans as a criminal offence. Dr. Momen testified at the hearings. He also testified to end child labor in Bangladesh that made Bangladesh a ‘model’ to manage child labor. He helped repatriated and rehabilitated camel kids, distressed young girls and Bangladeshi expatriate laborers to Bangladesh from Pakistan, India, Singapore and Gulf countries. For his humanitarian works, many organizations honored him with awards and citations.
At his request, the Hasina government in Bangladesh submitted two resolutions and the SAARC Summit adopted those resolutions on trafficking of women and children in its 9th Summit and set up a Fund for the victims at its 10th Summit. As the UAE government failed to contribute funds to such Fund, he protested the acceptance of $2m donation of the UAE government by the Harvard University. The University returned the UAE fund.
He is involved with a number of projects in Bangladesh such as (1) Safe Home for Teenage Girls at Gazipur, (2) the Uthsho, a home for the minor children of prostitutes at Rayerbazar, Dhaka, (3) Blind and deaf institute of Barisal, (4) Home of Joy, a school-cum-home for abandoned children, Khulna, (5) Eye Hospital, Sylhet, (6) Rescue Fund for abused young house servants, etc.
He has a PhD and MBA from Northeastern, an MPA from Harvard, an LLB from Dhaka Central Law College, and MA and BA (Hons) in Economics from Dhaka University. While he was working in Bangladesh government service, he initiated, designed and developed plus successfully implemented a public policy commonly known as the Wage Earners Scheme. It was a success story. It achieved its twin objective of reducing scarcity of essential goods (also reduced price) and increasing foreign currency in Bangladesh.
