Labour migration from Bangladesh has dropped by nearly 30% over the past year, signalling a continued contraction in the country’s labour market and reflecting changing trends in job preparedness and overseas employment demand.
A key factor behind the shrinking labour market has been the reduced recruitment from countries such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar, combined with the closure of markets in Malaysia, Oman, and Bahrain.
Although the government is exploring new labour markets, stakeholders feel the efforts have been insufficient. They stress the need to strengthen diplomatic initiatives to reopen existing markets.
According to the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET), 1,011,869 workers migrated abroad from Bangladesh between January and December 2024, a 30% decrease from the 1,307,890 workers who left in 2023. Notably, 95% of these workers were employed in just five countries—Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Qatar, Singapore, and the UAE.
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Migration numbers saw a sharp drop from 97,873 workers in January to 62,442 in February, reflecting a nearly 20% decline from the previous month.
Labour Market Conditions Following Government Change
After the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on August 5 amid a mass uprising, an interim government led by Nobel laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus assumed power. Manpower businesses had hoped Yunus's international reputation would boost overseas employment, but despite assurances over expatriate welfare, no significant initiatives have been observed so far.
On October 17, 2024, the council of advisers to the interim government approved the draft of the ‘Overseas Employment and Migrants (Amendment) Ordinance-2024’, which aims to address irregularities in the migration process, reduce migrants' grievances, and curb crime.
Status of Key Labour Markets
Malaysia: Over 350,000 workers migrated to Malaysia in 2023, but the market closed in June 2024. Since then, fewer than 100,000 workers have migrated there.
Oman: In 2023, over 125,000 workers moved to Oman, but only 358 secured jobs in 2024 due to the market closure.
UAE: Nearly 100,000 Bangladeshi workers were employed in the UAE in 2023, but this number dropped to 47,000 in 2024.
Bahrain: The Bahrain labour market has been closed since 2017, with no workers migrating there in 2023 or 2024.
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Lack of Skilled Workers and Alternative Markets
Despite high global demand for skilled labour, Bangladesh’s share remains low. South Korea and Japan present promising opportunities for skilled workers, but language and technical skill barriers limit participation from Bangladeshis. In 2023, South Korea allotted a quota of 10,000 workers, but only 4,496 Bangladeshis qualified.
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Dr. Tasneem Siddiqui, acting executive director of the Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU), stated, "The government claims that Bangladesh sends workers to 168 countries, but in reality, 95% go to only six countries. The rest are negligible in numbers."
She also mentioned that the closure of Malaysia’s labour market was due to a syndicate between Bangladeshi and Malaysian recruiting agencies.
Many workers who arrived in Malaysia found no jobs, leading the country to suspend recruitment. She urged the government to negotiate with Malaysia to resolve the issue.
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Siddiqui further explained that the UAE has reduced recruitment due to a slowdown in its construction sector, while Saudi Arabia’s demand has decreased after absorbing 600,000 workers last year.
Haidar Ali, former Secretary General of the Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA), stressed the need for the government to take steps to reopen closed labour markets and engage in bilateral discussions with the concerned countries.
He warned that if alternative markets are not explored, Bangladesh’s labour market could face severe challenges, potentially driving workers towards illegal migration by sea, which is highly dangerous.
BRAC Associate Director Shariful Hasan also highlighted that out of the seven to eight major Middle Eastern labour markets, three remain closed. Qatar, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia have reduced recruitment, while Malaysia, the UAE, and Oman have shut down their markets over the past year.
He urged the government to reopen these markets to avoid further declines in worker migration.
Government Initiatives
Mohammad Abdul Hai, Additional Director General of BMET, stated that efforts are underway to expand labour markets, including new destinations such as Russia, Portugal, Malta, Cambodia, Vietnam, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He noted that Russia remains the top destination among these.
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"We are also sending workers to Iraq and Iran, with a potential for over 50,000 jobs in Iraq at a salary of $500 per month," he added.
He, however, noted that despite the presence of nearly all European embassies in Bangladesh, workers must apply for visas through India or Nepal, which significantly hinders their migration opportunities to Europe.