COVID-19 and the impact on overseas employment

The burning question which the COVID-19 pandemic has posed before the world is about life versus livelihood. Every country is having to grapple with the dilemma and is being forced to relax the enforced lockdown to keep the economy alive.

According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), as fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, 1.6 billion people will lose their jobs. The UN Economic and Social Commission for West Asia estimates that 1.7 million workers will lose their jobs in the Middle East.

World Bank foresees a 22% drop in remittances to South Asia. In December 2019, remittance sent in by Bangladeshi migrant workers totalled USD 1.59 billion. By April 2020 this dwindled to USD 1.08 billion.

These figures paint a bleak picture for the future. In the case of Bangladesh, every year nearly 85 per cent of the employment takes place in the Middle East. However, oil prices have plummeted to a record low. The low oil prices combined with the coronavirus crisis does not bode well for the economy of the Arab countries. This is evident the expulsion of foreign workers from these countries. The undocumented workers are being almost forcefully sent back to their respective countries. In many cases, the contracts of workers are not being renewed.

It is obvious that the number of workers returning to their respective countries will increase in the days to come. Bangladesh needs to give serious thought about the migrant workers who are returning home. An extensive plan needs to be drawn up for them, including initiative for their employment.

A BRAC survey titled ‘Impact of COVID-19 in the lives and livelihoods of returnee migrants’, states 91 per cent of these workers have not received any financial assistance from government or private agencies upon their return. The survey was carried out on 558 returnee workers. Of them, 87 percent said they had no source of income and 74 percent said they were under immense mental pressure, anxiety and fear.

In the meantime, the government had declared a Tk 50 billion (Tk 5000 crore) stimulus package for the garments industry. Another Tk 50 billion (Tk 5000 crore) has been declared for the agricultural sector.

The ministry for expatriates’ welfare and overseas employment has received a Tk 2 billion (Tk 200 crore) soft loan package for returning migrant workers. A decision has also been announced to provide Tk 5 billion (Tk 500 crore) through the Probashi Kallyan Bank. The labour wings of Bangladesh diplomatic missions have been provided Tk 100 million (Tk 10 crore) to directly assist the workers would are suffering overseas.

Other than financial assistance, certain plans need to be drawn up for the workers returning to the country. The budget of the coming financial year must also have adequate allocation for overseas employment.

The immediate action required is to register all the returning migrant workers with the technical training centres (TTC) of the Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training (BMET) under the expatriates’ welfare and overseas employment ministry, in all 64 districts of the country. If any worker cannot register for any reason, they will register their names on a specified website of BMET. This registration will include details of the workers, including their jobs abroad and acquired skills. They will also mention the name, address and phone number of their employers. These workers can then be given ‘tailor-made’ training at their respective TTCs or RPN (recognition of prior learning) certification.

BMET can create a database with all details of these workers. This database can be used for their employment at home or abroad in the future. The database can also be sent to the relevant Bangladesh diplomatic missions abroad. The labour wings can then make an effort to contact the employers have these workers reappointed in due time.

While the workers undergo registration and training and receive certification, the TTCs can also provide them with financial assistance as committed by the government. And those who had small businesses overseas can be provided training and low-interest loans by the SME Foundation.

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has revealed the fragile state of our health system. There is a glaring shortage of workers in the health sector of every country. So it is obvious that there will be a growing global demand for health technicians. There is a demand for medical equipment technicians in particular.

A certain study report stated that there is employment scope for 5 million workers in the biomedical sector around the world. Preparations can begin from now to create a skilled workforce in this regard. The overseas employment ministry and the health ministry can work on a plan together in this connection. Medical technician training can be provided by the TTCs countrywide. The government hospitals in every district can provide relevant practical training, ensuring international curriculum is followed.

The migrants’ countries of origin can also approach the employer countries, through the International Organisation of Migration (IOM), with an appeal not to lay off the workers en masse. Dialogue can also be taken up on an urgent basis through the regional migrant forum Colombo Process and the Abu Dhabi Dialogue (ADD).

A master can be prepared for employment at home and aboard. There is need for workers to be employed overseas again and so the interested workers must undergo skill development. Arrangements must be made for their international certification and recognition of this certification by the destination countries.

It is hoped that the demand for housemaids or domestic help will not wane. But their safe migration and their rights must be ensured. It is important for the women workers to be duly trained and that their training is of proper standard.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had the hardest impact on Bangladeshi migrant workers. Certain measures must be adopted to ensure the human rights and migrant rights of these workers. In consideration of their huge contribution to the national economy, the following steps may be taken:

1. A short term project may be taken up for the assistance of expatriate and migrant workers.

2. The migrants who have returned due to coronavirus must be provided with retraining, up-skilling and re-skilling.

3. The returnee migrants can be given counseling, guidance and advice, to enable them find suitable jobs.

4. They can be given access to the various investment products of the various banks so they can take up small enterprises.

5. They can be linked to NGOs for microcredit for the sake of their rehabilitation.

6. Integrated initiative can be taken through the cooperatives ministry or they can taken up joint venture businesses

7. Linkage can be set up with the SME Foundation so the acquired skills of the workers can be put to use.

8. Initiative can be taken to encourage the returnees to take up self-employment through entrepreneurship and techno-preneurship.

9. Steps should be taken for the economic rehabilitation of the migrants through financial stimulus packages and technical assistance.

If these initiatives are taken up from now, then Bangladesh will not lag behind in tackling the impact of COVID-19 on overseas employment.

Kazi Abul Kalam is a former joint secretary of the expatriates’ welfare and overseas employment ministry.

Dr Md Nurul Islam is former director, Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training.

*This opinion piece has been rewritten in English by Aysha Kabir.