Language barriers plague Bangladeshi migrant workers, shrink paychecks

More than half of Bangladeshi expatriate workers, especially those in the Gulf states, experience serious communication problems stemming from insufficient language skills in their destination countries, adversely affecting their income and livelihoods while working abroad.

In a recent study published by the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment, 52% of migrant workers identified language barriers as a major challenge.

The study, conducted among 479 migrant workers, mostly in the Gulf countries, was published in April this year in the Annual Labour Migration Report 2021-22.

As per the Bureau of Manpower, Employment, and Training (BMET), a mandatory language test is now required for labour migration to South Korea, Japan, and Hong Kong, leading to a smoother experience for Bangladeshi workers in those regions.

Even though the Middle East is the destination for the highest 5 million Bangladeshi workers, the government does not have Arabic language courses for migrant workers, as these countries do not have any mandatory requirements in this regard.

Only female housemaids bound for the Middle East receive a compulsory two-month training, which includes Arabic language instruction, but stakeholders assert that it is not sufficiently effective for language acquisition.

According to the expats' welfare ministry study titled "An Assessment of the Basic Services and Their Access for Migrant Workers in Countries of Destination", around 65% of migrants lacked necessary health facilities at their destination, 69% lacked food facilities and 44% shelter.

In the study, the workers also mentioned challenges in seeking remedies for experiencing humiliation, as well as physical, mental, and sexual abuse at workplaces.

Experts say the workers' inability to communicate their needs due to their linguistic inefficiency is a significant factor contributing to their oppression. Owing to language barriers, migrant workers encounter difficulties in accessing essential facilities and seeking justice when confronted with physical abuses.

Shakirul Islam, chairman of Ovibashi Karmi Unnayan Programme, said, "Primarily, female workers in the Middle East encounter diverse challenges, including physical abuse resulting from a lack of proficiency in the local language for domestic work. Conversely, most male workers in sectors such as manufacturing, construction, and services may not face immediate language-related issues, but they fall behind in remittances."

He said, "If they were proficient in the local language, they could perform better, leading to increased earnings – a trend observed in countries like Sri Lanka, the Philippines, and India."

The average monthly remittance sent by a Bangladeshi expat is $203.33, while it is $564.1 for a Filipino worker, according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in 2019.

The monthly average income of a Pakistani expat is $275.74 and $395.71 for an Indian and $532.71 for a Chinese citizen.

Other findings of the study

The study indicates that workers encounter challenges stemming from a deficiency in skills, the presence of intermediaries or brokers, insufficient interest in training, as well as the limited skills of trainers.

Other obstacles include a lack of information about migration processes and contract terms and difficulties in adaptation. The situation is further complicated by inadequate cooperation between government authorities and recruiting agencies.

In the study, the workers also reported that they do not get enough cooperation from the host government, recruiting agencies, and the relevant Bangladeshi embassies.

In addition to language barriers, workers also highlighted other significant challenges, including extended working hours and the absence of weekly or festival vacations.

The study revealed that 41% of workers reported working more than eight hours and more than 24% could not enjoy their weekly holidays or festival vacations.

Furthermore, 52% of the workers said their lack of skills and experience adversely affected them, 42% felt a deficiency in having a proper person or organisation to discuss their problems with, and 32% believed that their suffering was due to a lack of educational qualification.

Around 16% of workers indicated their need for assistance from recruiting agencies and the host government, but unfortunately, they did not receive any help.

Additionally, 12% of workers reported that they did not receive any assistance from the Bangladesh embassies in their respective destinations.

Among the participants in the study, 49 males and 27 females worked as househelp. Approximately 14% of male and 41% of female househelps reported facing physical torture by their employers while about 7% of female housemaids reported experiencing sexual harassment.

Moreover, a significant number of workers faced humiliation, neglect, and physical abuse while employed by companies, with a neglect rate of 34% for men and 33% for women.

Around 11% of male workers experienced physical abuse within the company. Workers also endured psychological abuse both in the owner's home and within the company, with a rate exceeding 26%.

The study made some recommendations including three months' mandatory training for workers before migration, and effective coordination among recruiting authorities and government bodies.

According to the BMET, the country has sent a staggering 12.46 lakh workers abroad until 11 December this year, surpassing last year's figure of 11.35 lakh.

Of those that migrated this year, 25% were skilled and 50% less-skilled workers.

The rate of less-skilled labour migration from Bangladesh has dropped around 23% this year to 6.26 lakh compared to last year.

Dr Ahmed Munirus Saleheen, secretary of the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Foreign Employment, said, "We conduct these studies in collaboration with individual researchers. One limitation is that they often lack representatives due to budget constraints, making extensive sampling challenging."

Regarding the study's allegations that embassies fail to respond adequately during emergencies, he said, "Embassies strive to fulfil their maximum responsibilities, but they face various challenges, including a shortage of manpower. We are actively working to enhance our role in resolving the migrant worker crisis."

How to address the language issue

The latest annual labour migration report from the expats ministry suggests that, in case of sending workers to new destination countries, acquiring proficiency in the language and culture specific to the job would be more beneficial for the workers.

Among the 104 government technical training centres (TTCs) under the BMET, several offer language courses. Notably, 32 TTCs provide Japanese language training for six months, 16 offer a four-month Korean language training, 8 provide a two-month English course, and 3 centres offer three months of Chinese language training.

Md Kamruzzaman, principal of Cumilla TTC, told TBS, "We provide courses in Japanese and Korean languages. Although we don't offer any Arabic language training, Arabic is included in driving and housekeeping courses. Presently, female workers destined for the Middle East undergo a two-month residential training that includes instruction in Arabic."

On the Arabic language training of migrant workers, Dr Syeda Rozana Rashid, a migration expert and professor of International Relations at Dhaka University, said the discrepancy arises because the words taught in training centres do not align with the native language spoken in the destination countries.

"A more practical approach would involve teaching communication in real-life situations. Bringing in instructors from the destination countries to teach the specific accent would enhance the effectiveness of the training," she added.

Apart from the TTCs, various language centres under universities and private institutions provide language courses.

Recently, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said, "Various countries often seek doctors, nurses, caregivers etc from us. But we cannot provide them with adequate numbers of workers due to the lack of language proficiency of the labour forces.

"We have recently received offers for 28,000 jobs from Hong Kong, but we could not send even 2,000. We have people, but we lack the individuals with appropriate skills."

The minister said, "We have sent 5,300 female caregivers to the UK this year. Unfortunately, most of them have very poor language proficiency and technical know-how. Many of them are now unemployed and in dire straits. So, we have to bring many of them back."

Regarding the lack of proficiency in English among Bangladeshis, Dr Shamsad Mortuza, professor of English at Dhaka University, told TBS, "Our policies are currently marked by significant confusion. The education system is divided into three parts, and there is a shortage of competent teachers to effectively impart English education. Additionally, there is a deficiency in providing adequate training for teachers.