Ensuring a fair deal for migrant workers

According to media reports, Bangladesh has requested Brunei to remove the discriminatory treatment against Bangladeshi immigrant workers as compared to other countries, considering the benefits of the two countries.

"We request Brunei to remove the discriminatory rule … Bangladeshi immigrant workers have to deposit US$1600 while the amount is only $500 for Malaysian workers," Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi told a breakfast meeting with a visiting Brunei delegation at a city hotel recently.

Migrant workers affectionately termed as ‘remittance warriors’ play a crucial role in the socioeconomic development of Bangladesh. Their hard labour in foreign shores contributes not only to their family expenses but also generate millions of dollars in revenue for Bangladesh. We urge the authorities to do everything in their power to ensure that the migrant workers get a fair deal.

We believe that a fair deal for all migrant workers requires a rights-based approach, in accordance with existing international labour standards and ILO principles, which recognizes labour market needs and the sovereign right of all nations to determine their own migration policies, including determining entry into their territory and under which conditions migrants may remain.

During migration, the workers encounter troubles related to air travel and payment; face issues that violate their basic needs and rights; face gender-based violence; and so forth. Many a time migrant workers are found roaming around the airport, uncertain of their journey. While some of them manage to fly to their destinations, some are taken advantage of by deceitful people.

For Bangladesh, remittance, a key source of external finance, plays a pivotal role in social uplift. Bangladesh is a favourite destination for cheap manpower in global labour market. In fact, worldwide immigration can craft considerable social welfare gains for migrants in countries from where the workers move and to where they resettle.

Workers’ remittance to Bangladesh now constitutes the single largest source of foreign exchange earnings and plays a critical role in the socio-economic development. Remittance has resulted in improved living standards of workers’ families and helped in improving the income distribution in favour of poorer and less skilled workers.

Currently, most countries including Bangladesh are in the process to reach a consensus on safe, dignified and orderly migration. At the same time, policymakers are showing greater interest in labour migration issues and different stakeholders are advocating for the rights of migrant workers. In the past, developed gulf nations referred to the skill level of workers from India, Sri Lanka and other countries to justify taking white collars from them but now Bangladesh offers highly capable, tech savvy university graduates who are fluid in communication and IT. The market for white collar job, from teachers to communication experts to engineers should be open for competition.

Since all economies in the world are facing the brunt of the Ukraine War, saving money will the priority of all nations, developed and developing alike. Taking professionals from Bangladesh will reduce cost on one hand and, on the other, open a new dimension to the manpower exporting/import engagement. The process can be a fair one with permission given to nationals from other competing countries to showcase their skills and be selected through a fair process.

Bangladesh is at a crucial stage on its path towards development, and a healthy remittance stream will, no doubt, play a major part in helping us reach our economic goals. A change in policy is needed to tap remittance that hinges on more than just sending money for family maintenance, particularly from the Bangladeshi diaspora.

In a time of financial volatility, remittance from workers abroad is proving to be the lifeline. Since economists have given a bleak picture of the future, with warnings of a recession in developed nations, the priority of the Bangladesh government will be to explore new countries in need of skilled workers.