Middle East crisis: Overseas employment at risk amid heavy dependence on the region

Overseas employment for Bangladeshis remains overwhelmingly dependent on the Middle East, with Saudi Arabia receiving the largest share of migrant workers.

However, since the outbreak of the Iran war, flight operations across several Middle Eastern countries have become irregular, placing migrant workers at risk and creating uncertainty about their jobs.

Some expatriates who returned home on leave have become stranded, while many newly recruited workers are unable to depart. Taken together, these developments have put overseas employment under considerable strain.

Amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, the number of Bangladeshis leaving for jobs abroad during this period has declined compared with last year.

According to data from the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET), the number of workers receiving clearance to travel abroad in the first 10 days of March fell by nearly 50 per cent compared with the same period last year.

Officials and businesspeople involved in labour migration say the risks would have been lower had alternative labour markets been developed. Despite many years of effort, large-scale employment opportunities outside the Middle East have not been created.

According to them, the failure to produce sufficiently skilled workers has also prevented Bangladesh from sending workers to promising markets such as Europe and Japan. Meanwhile, Malaysia’s labour market has remained closed for nearly two years.

BMET data show that although 168 countries are listed as destinations for Bangladeshi workers, migrants actually travelled to 141 countries last year. Of these, 90 per cent went to just five countries. Only one worker each went to 13 countries, while between two and 10 workers went to 34 countries. In 2025, a total of 1,130,757 workers went abroad for employment, of whom 67 per cent went to Saudi Arabia.

People associated with the migration sector say that the labour market has long been centred on the Middle East, particularly Saudi Arabia, making the current conflict a major source of risk. With few alternative markets available, labour migration has been disrupted, raising concerns about increased irregular migration and human trafficking.

They emphasise the need to extend visas for stranded workers and ensure the safety of expatriates. So far, two Bangladeshi migrants have died in Saudi Arabia and one each in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) during the ongoing conflict.

According to the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, a round-the-clock hotline and control room have been opened to assist Bangladeshis affected by the conflict.

On 9 March, the ministry also requested the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to help extend visas for affected and stranded workers. The body of the migrant worker killed in the UAE has already been buried, while efforts are underway to repatriate the bodies of the others.

State Minister for Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Nurul Haque Nur told Prothom Alo that the government had pledged to create employment for one crore people. If migrants affected by the Middle East crisis return home, they will be assisted with rehabilitation, he said.

The state minister further said embassies have been asked to facilitate visa extensions for those unable to travel. Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and the UAE have already decided to extend visas until 31 March upon application.

But, the government’s longer-term goal, he added, is to develop new labour markets, with priority given to producing skilled workers. “Work is ongoing to expand opportunities in Japan and Europe, and discussions are also underway with several Asian countries.”

Mobarak Hossain from Cumilla returned home from Oman on holiday on 21 January. He said he had planned to return at the beginning of March, and his company had already contacted him to resume work. However, the lack of available flights has prevented him from travelling.

“Given the war situation, there is nothing we can do. Once flights resume, I will contact the company and try to return,” he said.

The United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran on 28 February, after which the conflict spread to 14 countries across the Middle East.

According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), a total of 391 flights from Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport were cancelled between 28 February and 11 March. Of those, 24 flights were cancelled on Wednesday alone. Iran, Iraq, the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar and Jordan have closed their airspace.

Farhad Hossain from Cumilla is another migrant stranded in Bangladesh due to the lack of flights after returning home on a 15-day leave. He works in Oman in the electronics and air-conditioning sector. This is the period when his workload is usually high. “The company is pressuring me to go back, but I cannot do anything,” he said.

BMET figures show that 65,613 workers travelled abroad last month. Of them, about 38,000 departed during the first 10 days of the month. Between 1 and 10 March this year, 21,122 workers obtained clearance to travel abroad, compared with 46,744 during the same period last year—almost double the current figure.

As some flights to Saudi Arabia are still operating, a number of workers have managed to travel there, although others are reluctant to leave due to fears about the situation.

Shakirul Islam, chairperson of the grassroots migrants’ organisation Ovibashi Karmi Unnayan Program (OKUP), told Prothom Alo that between 4.5 million and 5 million Bangladeshi workers are currently there in the Middle East.

“We need to consider what will happen to them and whether they will all retain their jobs. If the war becomes prolonged, it could lead to a major crisis,” he said.

He suggested that the government create a database of workers who have paid recruitment fees but are unable to travel so that they can be prioritised later.

Migration sector stakeholders also pointed out that many workers take out loans to finance their migration. If they cannot travel abroad, they will be unable to repay those loans, placing their families under severe financial pressure. Emergency assistance for indebted families may therefore be necessary.

Malaysia’s labour market has remained closed since June 2024 following allegations that a syndicate had formed to control recruitment business. Despite attempts, the interim government was unable to reopen it.

Several other markets, including Oman and Bahrain, also remained closed last year, while the UAE has not fully reopened its labour market either. However, during the interim government’s tenure, Bangladesh signed seven agreements with Italy, South Korea, Japan and Saudi Arabia to expand labour migration. If properly utilised, these agreements could enable the deployment of more skilled workers.

Fakhrul Islam, former joint secretary-general of BAIRA, the association of recruiting agency owners, told Prothom Alo that Saudi Arabia remains the central labour market. Flights to Jeddah and Riyadh are still operating, allowing some workers to travel, though numbers have declined.

“There is anxiety about obtaining visas, and many workers who have not completed medical tests are delaying clearance. It would be wise to wait and assess the situation,” he said.

Fakhrul Islam added that Malaysia’s labour market should not be reopened through syndicates.

The Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU), a private migration research organisation, says Russia has recently emerged as a new labour market for Bangladesh. Last year, 4,663 workers went there, compared with 993 the previous year. However, a syndicate has reportedly begun recruiting migrants by promising high wages and Russian citizenship, with some allegedly being sent to participate in the Russia–Ukraine war.

Between 1 January and 3 October 2025, a total of 15,076 Bangladeshi migrants reached the Italian coast by sea, the highest number among migrants arriving in Italy that year and nearly double the previous year’s figure.

Observers warn that if regular migration channels remain disrupted, the risk of irregular migration will increase.

Tasneem Siddiqui, founding chair of RMMRU, warned that migrants could fall victim to trafficking networks operating through Libya or Russia in attempts to reach Italy.

“At this moment, no one should fall for such temptations,” she said.

Tasneem Siddiqui also stressed that Bangladeshi embassies in conflict-affected countries must remain active, regularly sending updates to the government and ensuring emergency welfare support for migrants.

At the same time, the government should intensify efforts to develop skilled workers in order to expand new labour markets, she added.