Migrant workers declined in 2010
Dhaka, Dec 28 (bdnews24.com)—The total number of Bangladeshi migrant workers has decreased by 21 percent compared to last year, but the number of female workers has gone up by 12 percent because of withdrawal of the ban on female migration.
A report by the Refugee and Migratory Movement Research Unit (RMMRU) of Dhaka University revealed the information at a press conference at the National Press Club on Tuesday.
In 2009, the government withdrew the ban on female migration, which was imposed in 2003. Over 6 percent of the total number of migrant workers was female this year.
RMMRU chairperson Tasneem Siddiqui presented the key findings of the report on the overall picture of the country's migration in 2010. The report says the country's labour exporting market has been affected by a global economic downturn.
Siddiqui noted that two organisations, including the Grameen Bank, have sought permission to export manpower as they have good relations with countries like Saudi Arabia, which import a lot of manpower. "The government should allow them in exchange for necessary fees," she added.
According to the report, over 7.5 million Bangladeshis had gone to several countries under short-term work agreement since 1976. There are around 1.5 million workers on long-term agreement, it says.
The report said the number of Bangladeshi workers, which was around 500,000, was reduced by 17.86 percent in 2009 for the recession. Of the Bangladeshi migrant workers sent this year, only 0.008 percent is professional. Of the others, 64 percent is less skilled, 17.84 percent is skilled and 4.25 percent is half-skilled. United Arab Emirate ranked top in importing manpower from Bangladesh this year, the report said.
Of the total number of workers sent overseas this year, UAE took 52 percent, Oman 11 percent and Singapore 9 percent, it stated.
The report said the number of workers, sent to Saudi Arabia in 1999-2004, was 60-70 percent. But the number came down to only 3 percent in 2009 and only 2 percent this year, it said. Over 40,000 workers returned this year after their agreements expired, it said.
A report by the Refugee and Migratory Movement Research Unit (RMMRU) of Dhaka University revealed the information at a press conference at the National Press Club on Tuesday.
In 2009, the government withdrew the ban on female migration, which was imposed in 2003. Over 6 percent of the total number of migrant workers was female this year.
RMMRU chairperson Tasneem Siddiqui presented the key findings of the report on the overall picture of the country's migration in 2010. The report says the country's labour exporting market has been affected by a global economic downturn.
Siddiqui noted that two organisations, including the Grameen Bank, have sought permission to export manpower as they have good relations with countries like Saudi Arabia, which import a lot of manpower. "The government should allow them in exchange for necessary fees," she added.
According to the report, over 7.5 million Bangladeshis had gone to several countries under short-term work agreement since 1976. There are around 1.5 million workers on long-term agreement, it says.
The report said the number of Bangladeshi workers, which was around 500,000, was reduced by 17.86 percent in 2009 for the recession. Of the Bangladeshi migrant workers sent this year, only 0.008 percent is professional. Of the others, 64 percent is less skilled, 17.84 percent is skilled and 4.25 percent is half-skilled. United Arab Emirate ranked top in importing manpower from Bangladesh this year, the report said.
Of the total number of workers sent overseas this year, UAE took 52 percent, Oman 11 percent and Singapore 9 percent, it stated.
The report said the number of workers, sent to Saudi Arabia in 1999-2004, was 60-70 percent. But the number came down to only 3 percent in 2009 and only 2 percent this year, it said. Over 40,000 workers returned this year after their agreements expired, it said.
The report also said the amount of remittances increased by 10 percent a year in the past 30 years. In 2009, the amount of remittances increased by 23 percent and stood at $10 billion
Bangladesh ranked five in terms of remittance income, though its growth is only 1.4 percent, according to the report.
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