Bangladesh’s labour export exceeds 10 lakh 3 years in a row

Overseas employment from Bangladesh has reached a remarkable milestone, with the country sending over 10 lakh workers abroad for three consecutive years.

In 2024, a total of 1,011,856 workers were deployed, making it the third-highest annual figure in the country's history.

This year also recorded a landmark $26.88 billion in remittances, according to the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET).

Saudi Arabia was the largest employer, recruiting a record 628,000 workers in 2024—the highest by any country in a single year.

December alone saw 86,866 Bangladeshi workers migrate to Saudi Arabia, marking the highest monthly recruitment in 47 months.

Despite these achievements, issues surrounding joblessness and fraudulent practices emerged as significant challenges.

BMET received over 5,000 complaints in 2024 from cheated migrants, mainly in Saudi Arabia, regarding fake job offers and difficulties obtaining iqama (residency permits for work).

Industry insiders attributed these problems to illegal visa trading, which led to an oversupply of workers exceeding market demand.

In response to these issues, the Ministry of Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment blacklisted 24 Saudi companies linked to fraudulent practices.

These companies have been barred from recruiting workers through Bangladeshi agencies.

Migration experts expressed concerns about Bangladesh's heavy reliance on Saudi Arabia, with 62% of workers heading to the Gulf nation in 2024.

Prof Tasneem Siddiqui, founder and chair of the Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU), said, "If the labour wings of Bangladeshi embassies in destination countries fail to verify employers' capacities and workers are sent without confirming job availability, it could lead to sanctions from countries like Saudi Arabia."

She further explained that recruitment agencies from both Bangladesh and destination countries often send workers in large numbers when a new market opens. However, inadequate verification can create chaos and lead to restrictions.

Need for market diversification

Labour migration remains concentrated in a few countries, with 90% of workers in 2024 migrating to six destinations: Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Qatar, Singapore, the UAE, and Jordan.

Over the last five years, 97% of Bangladeshi migrants have gone to just ten countries.

While Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 mega-projects, such as Neom City and the Red Sea Project, have spurred employment opportunities, experts stress the importance of diversifying markets to reduce dependency.

Shamim Ahmed Chowdhury Noman, former secretary general of the Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (Baira), highlighted the need to reopen traditional markets and explore new ones.

"Efforts should be made to reopen markets in Malaysia, UAE, and Oman while expanding opportunities in European countries," he told TBS.

He also called for greater accountability from Bangladeshi embassies and recruitment agencies to prevent fake job offers.

Concerns over skilled and female migration

The rise in unskilled migration and decline in skilled migration have emerged as significant challenges.

Unskilled migration increased by over 5 percentage points in 2024 compared to the previous year, while skilled migration decreased by 2 percentage points.

Efforts should be made to reopen markets in Malaysia, UAE, and Oman while expanding opportunities in European countries

Shamim Ahmed Chowdhury Noman, former secretary general, Baira

Female migration also dropped to its lowest level in a decade, excluding the Covid-19 years.

From January to November 2024, only 54,696 women migrated, making up 6.03% of total migration during this period.

This marks a 22% decline in female participation compared to 2023.

According to an RMMRU study, concerns over workplace safety have discouraged many women from seeking overseas employment.

Future prospects

Although foreign job migration decreased by over 22% in 2024 compared to the previous year, the numbers remain significantly higher than pre-Covid levels, when annual migration ranged between 600,000 and 700,000 workers.

In 2023, Bangladesh sent a record 13.05 lakh workers abroad, while the figure was 11.35 lakh in 2022.

The milestone of sending one million workers in a single year was first achieved in 2017.

However, migration experts warn that without addressing the persistent challenges, such as fraudulent practices and market overdependence, the sustainability of this growth may be at risk.

As Bangladesh looks to maintain its position as a leading source of overseas workers, ensuring better governance, diversifying markets, and promoting skilled migration will be critical for the sector's future success.