BANGLADESH Institute of Labour Studies research shows some 55 percent of female migrant workers’ return to the country is either unexpected or forced. Of the total female migrants, 22.6 percent returned in less than a year of their migration, 17.6 percent between one and two years and 17.3 percent within two to three years. Most dangerously 60 per cent of the returnees remain unemployed after their return. In terms of social stigma, 52 percent thought a change of social attitude towards them happened after their return.
On an average, 61 per cent of the returnees have a debt burden of Tk 76,736 each. In the case of social attitude, 38 percent of them said they were considered as low-class people while 45 percent said they were overlooked or avoided or not invited to social events. For sustainable reintegration, 90 percent of the returnees sought the introduction of a social security protection scheme while 30 per cent sought a skills training programme. Experts said Bangladesh should come out of a state of denial towards female migrant workers’ exploitation abroad.
Alongside the source-country and workers, the host countries have responsibility for successful reintegration of returnee migrants. About a dozen ministries are involved in providing services to migrant workers but there is a lack of coordination among them. To plug in the loopholes, the Wage Earners’ Welfare Board said they will provide cash support to about two lakh migrant workers as part of reintegration under a World Bank-funded project. Migrant workers are the unsung heroes who toil to earn valuable foreign exchange for the economy but receive little in return. We need to develop our manpower with proper skills training to earn higher wages.
