Md. Muzibur Rahman :
I’m extremely sad hearing the news of 37 Bangladeshi migrants’ death in Friday’s (10-05-2019) boat capsize in the Mediterranean sea while attempting to reach Europe from Libya. The news is very pathetic. The Bangladeshi workers left their native land only for a job or a hope of better living in foreign land. They dreamt a dream for self-reliant, for earning a lot of money to be rich and to help their family and relatives in their mother land. For this reason (to go abroad), they sold their last soil or livestock or mortgage their mothers’ and wives’ ornaments to collect money. Many times, they depend on brokers or middlemen or follow illegal and unauthorized channels to go abroad for jobs. Perhaps, some of them are successful in this adventure but many of them fall in trap or in disaster like cyclone, boat capsizes and killed unfortunately.
The survivors will have to come back to their native land with empty hands. They will fall in more worsen situations when they return back. Then they will have to live unemployed, zero-money and with frustrations losing all resources. They will suffer more getting no any job or any alternative way for earning money for livelihood. Here is mentionable that remittance sent by the Bangladeshi expatriates makes significant contribution towards accelerating economic development of the country, such as addressing unemployment problems, poverty reduction and increasing foreign exchange reserve.
The manpower export is increasing in the recent years with the increasing population of the country. Bangladesh exports manpower through the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment with its subsidiary “Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET). According to the statistics of the BMET from 2006 to 2015, it is observed that more than 50 percent of overseas workers who went abroad are less-skilled. The number of expatriates classified by skills is shown in the table below:
It is observed that the share of professional workers has decreased significantly except the last two calendar years. There is a significant change in the structure of expatriates classified by skill during the last few years. In 2006 the share of skilled expatriates was 30 percent. While, the share increased to 38 percent in 2015. Likewise, the share of less-skilled workers stood at 45 percent in 2015 from 61 percent in 2006. The Government is concerned to increase the standard and opportunity of training to increase overseas employment. At the same time, initiative has been taken to coordinate the activities between training and vocational institutions. Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) is conducting several training programs through Bangladesh Institute of Marine Technology and 47 technical training centers respectively.
We should motivate our migrant workers/manpower for their welfare and safety when they go abroad for any job or livelihood. We have legal, accountable and authorized channel, government and non-government agencies to help them for going abroad. We should encourage and motivate our aspirant workers who want to go to abroad for job with definite skill and through proper dependable channels. Otherwise, they will fall in trap or face other disadvantages in the way.
On the other hand, we should encourage our young unemployed workforce to engage themselves in our agriculture, agro-based industries, SMEs and other indigenous small industries or self-employed farm and encourage them to work hard for avoiding uncertainties of foreign jobs. Our electronic and print media can play a vital role in this regard.
Many meetings, seminars, talk-shows, TV programmes can be arranged for this purpose. Our print media can report or publish research articles explaining advantages and disadvantages of the rule of business of our expatriate worker’s job in foreign land. We have diplomatic mission abroad can see and care for the well-beings of the migrant workers. Our diplomats who are assigned in foreign embassies and high commissions can give more attention in this matter for the interests of the nation.
I’m extremely sad hearing the news of 37 Bangladeshi migrants’ death in Friday’s (10-05-2019) boat capsize in the Mediterranean sea while attempting to reach Europe from Libya. The news is very pathetic. The Bangladeshi workers left their native land only for a job or a hope of better living in foreign land. They dreamt a dream for self-reliant, for earning a lot of money to be rich and to help their family and relatives in their mother land. For this reason (to go abroad), they sold their last soil or livestock or mortgage their mothers’ and wives’ ornaments to collect money. Many times, they depend on brokers or middlemen or follow illegal and unauthorized channels to go abroad for jobs. Perhaps, some of them are successful in this adventure but many of them fall in trap or in disaster like cyclone, boat capsizes and killed unfortunately.
The survivors will have to come back to their native land with empty hands. They will fall in more worsen situations when they return back. Then they will have to live unemployed, zero-money and with frustrations losing all resources. They will suffer more getting no any job or any alternative way for earning money for livelihood. Here is mentionable that remittance sent by the Bangladeshi expatriates makes significant contribution towards accelerating economic development of the country, such as addressing unemployment problems, poverty reduction and increasing foreign exchange reserve.
The manpower export is increasing in the recent years with the increasing population of the country. Bangladesh exports manpower through the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment with its subsidiary “Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET). According to the statistics of the BMET from 2006 to 2015, it is observed that more than 50 percent of overseas workers who went abroad are less-skilled. The number of expatriates classified by skills is shown in the table below:
It is observed that the share of professional workers has decreased significantly except the last two calendar years. There is a significant change in the structure of expatriates classified by skill during the last few years. In 2006 the share of skilled expatriates was 30 percent. While, the share increased to 38 percent in 2015. Likewise, the share of less-skilled workers stood at 45 percent in 2015 from 61 percent in 2006. The Government is concerned to increase the standard and opportunity of training to increase overseas employment. At the same time, initiative has been taken to coordinate the activities between training and vocational institutions. Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) is conducting several training programs through Bangladesh Institute of Marine Technology and 47 technical training centers respectively.
We should motivate our migrant workers/manpower for their welfare and safety when they go abroad for any job or livelihood. We have legal, accountable and authorized channel, government and non-government agencies to help them for going abroad. We should encourage and motivate our aspirant workers who want to go to abroad for job with definite skill and through proper dependable channels. Otherwise, they will fall in trap or face other disadvantages in the way.
On the other hand, we should encourage our young unemployed workforce to engage themselves in our agriculture, agro-based industries, SMEs and other indigenous small industries or self-employed farm and encourage them to work hard for avoiding uncertainties of foreign jobs. Our electronic and print media can play a vital role in this regard.
Many meetings, seminars, talk-shows, TV programmes can be arranged for this purpose. Our print media can report or publish research articles explaining advantages and disadvantages of the rule of business of our expatriate worker’s job in foreign land. We have diplomatic mission abroad can see and care for the well-beings of the migrant workers. Our diplomats who are assigned in foreign embassies and high commissions can give more attention in this matter for the interests of the nation.
(Md. Muzibur Rahman, Freelancer; writes on development & economic issues; e-mail: [email protected])
