News Desk :
About 49,924 female migrant workers returned home from 21 countries amid the coronavirus pandemic, Brac Migration Programme said.
On the other hand, some 487 corpses of female migrant workers arrived home in five years since 2016 with a gradual increase reported between 2016 and 2019, Brac said, citing government data.
The NGO on Saturday shared the data with media ahead of the International Women’s Day which will be observed globally on March 8 (Monday).
Brac said about 9.24 lakh female migrant workers went abroad for employment in different countries, including those in the Middle East, between 1991 and last year.
However, there is no comprehensive data on the female returnee migrants, it said.
Shariful Hasan, head of Brac Migration Programme, said in last two and a half years, they in support of expatriates’ welfare desk provided immediate support to some 2,645 returnee female migrants at the airport.
Besides, Brac supported about 200 returnee female migrants in launching small-scale trades, he said.
According to data provided by Brac, of the returnee female migrants amid the pandemic, 21,230 returned from Saudi Arabia, 11,602 from the United Arab Emirates, 4,826 from Qatar, 3,209 from Oman, 2,910 from Lebanon, and 2,259 from Jordan.
On the other hand, corpses were arrived from 11 countries with highest 198 corpses from Saudi Arabia, 88 from Jordan, 71 from Lebanon, 53 from Oman, 39 from UAE and 38 from different other countries.
Of these corpses, 57 arrived in 2016, 102 corpses in 2017, 112 in 2018, and 139 in 2019.
Also, 77 corpses of female migrant workers arrived home amid the pandemic when global air communications largely remained suspended, it added.
Of the deceased, 86 female migrants committed suicide, 167 died of stroke, 71 died in accidents, 115 died “naturally”, two were murdered, and 46 died due to various reasons.
Recently, a criminal court in Saudi Arabia sentenced a Saudi national in connection with killing of Bangladeshi female migrant worker Abiron Begum.
Citing government data, Brac said according to cases filed under the Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking Act, at least 1,791 women fell victim to human trafficking between 2012 and 2020.
