Bangladesh’s overseas labour market faces major setbacks 

Saudi Arabia has long been the top destination for Bangladeshi migrant workers. Historically, 34 per cent of all workers going abroad have chosen the Middle Eastern country. In the first five months of this year alone, 73 per cent of Bangladeshi overseas workers went to Saudi Arabia. However, this once-reliable labour market is now shrinking. 

The situation is even more dire in other major destinations. The United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bangladesh’s second-largest labour market, is currently closed. Oman, the third-largest, has remained closed since last year. Malaysia’s labour market shut down in June last year, though bilateral discussions are ongoing to reopen it soon. Meanwhile, the potential to send workers to Japan and South Korea remains largely untapped, and the opportunity to enter European labour markets is also being underutilised. 

People involved in the migration sector say that Bangladesh’s overdependence on a few select countries is the main reason for the stagnation. They note that the demand in Saudi Arabia, driven by its infrastructure expansion ahead of the 2034 FIFA World Cup, has already begun to decline. This June, Saudi Arabia suspended visa issuance, and while a new announcement is expected in July, the uncertainty remains. Without opening alternative labour markets, the outflow of Bangladeshi workers is likely to fall further. 

According to data from the Bangladesh Manpower, Employment and Training Bureau (BMET), more than 1.1 million workers went abroad in 2022. The number increased to 1.3 million in 2023. However, in 2024, it dropped by 300,000 to just over 1 million. 

In the first five months of this year, 420,000 workers went abroad—300,000 of them to Saudi Arabia. Qatar was the next largest destination, taking in 40,000 workers, followed by Singapore, which accepted over 26,000. 

Stakeholders in the sector note that most workers heading to Saudi Arabia secure recruitment through personal connections or relatives. This has led to the rise of a broker class, some of whom forge fake recruitment letters. As a result, some workers arrive in Saudi Arabia only to find no employment, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation. If this flow is reduced or halted, such cases may decrease. 

Ali Haider Chowdhury, former secretary general of the Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA), told Prothom Alo that Saudi visas have been suspended for the past month and new demand has also declined. “We must wait to see what kind of announcement Saudi Arabia makes in July. They may introduce stricter screening procedures for recruitment. It is therefore essential to develop alternative labour markets,” he said. 

The situation is particularly challenging for female workers, whose primary destination is the Middle East, especially Saudi Arabia, where most are employed as domestic workers. Many return home after experiencing abuse, torture, or sexual harassment. These conditions are causing a significant decline in women’s interest in overseas employment. 

BMET figures show that 105,466 female workers went abroad in 2022. In 2023, this dropped to 76,108—a 28 per cent decrease. The decline continued last year, with the number falling to 61,158, a further drop of 20 per cent. In the first five months of this year, only 24,617 women went abroad. Among them, 17,786 went to Saudi Arabia, while 4,500 went to Jordan. 

Although overall overseas employment has increased in recent years, the share of female workers has steadily declined. From 2022 to 2024, over 3.4 million workers went abroad, yet the number of female workers fell by 250,000. In contrast, between 2015 and 2019, more than 100,000 female workers went abroad each year. The number dropped in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic but rebounded in the following two years—only to decline again in the last two. 

Sumaiya Islam, Executive Director of the Bangladesh Nari Sramik Kendra (BNSK), told Prothom Alo, “The necessary support system for women workers in the Middle East has not been ensured. Moreover, the income is not proportionate to the workload, especially for domestic work in Saudi Arabia. There are numerous complaints. As a result, women's interest is decreasing. Additionally, Middle Eastern countries are now hiring workers from African nations as alternatives.” 

Experts believe that overreliance on a handful of countries is the root cause of Bangladesh’s vulnerability in the global labour market. They point out that whenever a country opens its market, Bangladeshi workers enter in large numbers. But when issues arise, the market closes, and another destination is sought. This cycle has confined Bangladesh’s migrant labour force to a few destinations. 

Shakirul Islam, chairperson of the grassroots migrant rights organization OKUP (Ovibashi Karmi Unnayan Programme), described the current situation as deeply disappointing. He noted that the allocation for the sector has been reduced in the proposed national budget, and that prospects for expanding employment abroad appear slim. 

“There has been no notable progress in opening up new labour markets,” he said. “Even in countries where there is potential, we are failing to capitalise on the opportunities.”