Female migration decreases despite record labour migration in 2023
Although the highest number of aspirant migrant workers went abroad in 2023, the number of female migrants decreased.
On an average over 100,000 migrants went abroad every month. Over 1.3 million migrants went abroad for jobs in 2023. Of the total migrants, only 77,263 female migrants went abroad for work.
Besides, around 3,000 female migrants returned home after being deceived in the destination countries.
People related to the migration sector said training is mandatory for sending female migrants to Saudi Arabia, but this is not followed in many cases. Moreover, there is a question of the quality of the training.
After returning home, many female migrants allege they are tortured and harassed in the destination countries. As a result, female migration has decreased, they observed.
Bangladesh Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training (BMET) statistics show the highest 121,925 female migrants went abroad in 2017. The number was 118,088 in 2016 and over 100,000 in 2015. Such a trend of over 100,000 female labour migrations continued till 2019.
The number of female migrations decreased after the coronavirus broke out in 2020. The number of female migrants increased gradually for the next two years. The number exceeded 100,000 in 2022. But the number decreased in 2023.
Bangladesh started sending female migrants to different countries in 1991.
After returning home, many female migrants allege they are tortured and harassed in the destination countries. As a result, the female migration has decreased, they observed.
As Indonesia and the Philippines stopped sending housemaids on charges of torture, Bangladesh signed an agreement with Saudi Arabia in 2015.
Of the female migrants, the majority go to Saudi Arabia as housemaids.
As the number of female migrants increases, various allegations including illness, homesickness, little wages or working without wages, food habits and language barriers, physical and mental torture and sexual have shot up.
Lutfa Begum, a resident from Brahmanbaria went to Saudi Arabia in 2020 to pull the family out of poverty. She worked 35 days as housemaids. As she could not endure torture, she was sent to the safe home or the government shelter centre. She returned home after staying there for about three months.
Speaking to Prothom Alo, Lutfa Begum said she would work in two adjacent houses. She couldn't eat Saudi food. Despite that, she continued working, but the conduct of male members was not good.
She sought work somewhere else through which she went to Saudi Arabia. But she did not get it. Later she wanted to return home and she was sent to the safe home. She didn't get any salary. After returning home, she got Tk 30,000 in two phases.
Officials at different government departments said some female migrants returned home before ending the two-year agreement. Most of them flee and take shelter at the safe home. They are sent to the safe home of the Saudi government from the safe home of the embassy. They are sent home with the financial support of the Saudi government.
If any female migrant wants to return within three months of her arrival in Saudi Arabia, she is sent home by the Saudi recruitment firm.
Officials said some flee and return home due to work pressure, weather, language barrier and local food.
Members of Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA) send workers abroad.
Speaking to Prothom Alo, organisation's joint secretary general Tipu Sultan said there are all sorts of narratives about the female workers. New aspirant migrants show reluctance to go abroad. Saudi employers want workers expeditiously after placing demand.
Officials at different government departments said some female migrants returned home before ending the two-year agreement. Most of them flee and take shelter at the safe home. They are sent to the safe home of the Saudi government from the safe home of the embassy. They are sent home with the financial support of the Saudi government.
He said they are unable to send female workers due to various delays. As a result, they are hiring workers from other countries.
Development organisation BRAC migration programme regularly works for returned female migrant workers.
The organisation said incidents of returning workers being tortured by Saudi employers cannot be stopped in any way. After returning home, some are making allegations of harassment and torture. Some, who are victims of sexual harassment, are returning pregnant.
Female housemaids are returning home every month as there is no safe work environment in Saudi Arabia.
The government has no accurate data of returning migrant workers. However, the expatriates' welfare desk under the Wage Earners' Welfare Board keeps data of those who return home with out-passes after losing their passports.
Sources at the welfare desk at the airport said 86,621 workers returned home from different countries in 2023. Of them, 2,902 are female workers. 249 female migrants return home in December.
Adviser to Bangladeshi Ovibashi Mohila Sramik Association (BOMSA) and Supreme Court lawyer Farida Yeasmin said although the Migration Act has been amended, the issue of protection of female migrants has not been included separately. The security of women abroad has not been ensured. They are being harassed regularly. They are not interested in going abroad out of fear.
*This article, originally published in Prothom Alo print and online editions, has been rewritten in English by Rabiul Islam