Wage earners' remittance highest in Dhaka, lowest in Lalmonirhat

Bangladesh received nearly USD 6.89 billion in the first four months (July-October) of the current fiscal year.

Dhaka district received the highest amount of USD 2.30 billion while Lalmonirhat received the lowest amount of USD 5.6 million, according to the Bangladesh Bank statistics of district-based remittance.

It shows that of the eight divisions, the districts of Chattogram and Dhaka divisions received the highest amount of remittance while Rangpur division received the lowest amount.

In November, Bangladeshi migrants remitted USD 1.93 billion. However, the Bangladesh Bank has not published the information as to which district receives how much remittance.

According to the central bank, the migrants sent USD 1.98 billion in October, which was the highest in the last four months. In-flow remittance fell in August and September in comparison to July. But it increased in October.

Alongside the government's incentive of 2.5 per cent to increase inflow remittance, the banks are also providing the same amount of incentive against each dollar. So the migrants are getting over Tk 115 against a dollar for sending money through the formal channel. However, some banks also provide higher prices. The remittance has increased due to additional incentive in the last month. Remittance increased by 21 per cent in November 2023 in comparison to November last year.

According to Bangladesh Bank, Dhaka district received the highest amount of remittance. The next four districts are Chattogram, Sylhet, Cumilla and Noakhali. Chattogram received USD 588 million, Sylhet USD 405 million, Cumilla USD 387 million and Noakhali nearly USD 225 million.

All together, these top five districts received 57 per cent of total remittance during the period of July-October. Other top districts are: Brahmanbaria, Feni, Chandpur, Moulvibazar and Narsingdi.

The districts received less amount of remittance

In the fiscal 2023-24, Lalmonirhat, Rangamati, Thakurgaon, Panchagarh and Khagrachhari received less amount of remittance in the first four months.

Lalmonirhat received USD 5.6 million, Rangmati 5.9 million, Thakurgaon 6.1 million, Panchagarh 7.1 million and Khagrachhari 7.6 million.
Kurigram received USD 9.5 million and Joypurhat USD 9.6 million.

In division-wise statistics, Dhaka is at the top in remittance earning. Only Dhaka district received remittance higher than any other division. For example, districts of Chattogram received USD 1.93 billion while Dhaka district received USD 2.30 billion.

Refugee and Migratory Movement Research Unit (RMMU) founding chair Tasneem Siddique said Dhaka being the capital, many people are going abroad for work from this district. So Dhaka received the highest amount of remittance.

However, it is also heard that money, which has been laundered, is being brought as wage earners' remittance. As a result, this may have an impact on the remittance of Dhaka district.

Although Dhaka district received the highest remittance, other districts of Dhaka division received less amount of remittance. However, most of the districts of Chattogram division received a significant amount of remittance. However, the exception is in three CHT districts and Cox's Bazar. The total amount of remittance in these four districts is USD 71.4 million.

Eight districts of Rangpur division are lagging behind in receiving remittance. These eight districts received USD 83.5 million in July-October. After Rangpur, districts of Mymensingh and Barishal divisions received less amount of remittance.

The opportunity of labour migration is created through social connection. In the areas from where a large number of people are abroad, the rate of migration is higher from there. So those areas received the highest amount of remittance.

Experts think there is a scope of increasing migration from the districts lagging behind in remittance.

Tasneem Siddique said every district lagging behind in wage earners' remittance is at climate risk. Migration is seen as one of the strategies to tackle climate change.

The government, non-government and development partners working for climate change can raise funds to encourage migration, provide necessary training and simplify visa processes, Tasneem said adding that migration will increase from these areas.

Tasneem Siddique noted that poverty will decrease and remittance will increase.

*This report, originally published in online edition of Prothom Alo, has been rewritten in English by Rabiul Islam