MIGRANT workers from Bangladesh are the silent heroes of the country鈥檚 economy. Their hard-earned money, sent back home as remittances, is a huge source of foreign currency that helps keep the nation stable and growing. Their hard work builds the foundations and fuels the economies of other countries where they work.
However, migrant workers face serious challenges at all stages of migration. They are often victims of unethical recruitment and exploitation, and their basic human rights are frequently violated. The recent action research by the Ovibashi Karmi Unnayan Program, conducted from January 2023 to October 2024, has revealed significant systemic failures in providing legal redress to these citizens. The findings underscore the critical need for an urgent re-evaluation of current policies and their implementation.
While the economic gains from labour migration are undeniable, the human cost behind these achievements tells a far more troubling story. The OKUP research, based on an assessment of 114 complaints filed for Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training arbitration, reveals widespread illegal practices. 80 per cent of workers were hired by unauthorized sub-agents, and many left with forged documents, including fake medical and pre-departure training certificates. A startling 75 per cent of workers did not receive a job contract before leaving. For those who did, the contracts were often signed just hours before their flight, with no explanation of the terms. Financially, exploitation is rampant. All male workers were charged excessive fees, up to six times the legal rate. Despite a government mandate for zero migration fees for female domestic workers, 65 per cent reported being illegally charged between Tk50,000 and Tk200,000.
The abuse escalates upon arrival in destination countries. For male migrant workers, 47 per cent were denied work permits, leading to confinement and the dreaded 鈥榓bsconding鈥� status once their entry visas expired, trapping them in a legal limbo without employment. Regular salary payments are a myth for many, with 53 per cent receiving delayed and reduced wages. The human cost is immense. Illegal recruitment practices by recruiters and employers forced 36 per cent of migrant workers into premature returns within three months, plunging them into inescapable debt bondage and a life of indignity. In addition, 6 per cent of workers suffered critical workplace injuries and were denied treatment, forced to return home with their health irrevocably damaged.
The experiences of female domestic workers are simply brutal. In countries like Saudi Arabia, where special rules are meant to protect them, these protections are largely ignored. Of the 34 female domestic workers in the study, a shocking 94 per cent reported regular physical and psychological abuse, while nearly half (47 per cent) reported sexual exploitation. Most female domestic workers had their salaries withheld (79 per cent) and a large majority (80 per cent) reported being deprived of food. They were also routinely denied medical care (97 per cent).
The Bangladesh government鈥檚 efforts to address these injustices through laws like the OEMA 2013 are commendable, but are deeply flawed in implementation. The government鈥檚 2023 Directive on arbitration procedures aimed to provide legal recourse under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training. However, the BMET鈥檚 regular dealings with recruitment agents for issuing employment clearance for migrant workers face an inherent conflict of interest. Additionally, the BMET lacks the staff and training to handle these arbitration cases properly. The legal system doesn鈥檛 clearly define fair compensation, which often leads to migrant workers receiving 鈥榰njustified and unfair鈥� settlements that leave them in even more financial trouble. The inconsistent and confusing process makes it incredibly difficult for workers to achieve justice.
The government must go beyond promises and actively enforce existing laws to ensure safe and fair migration. This means holding dishonest recruiting agents accountable and taking legal action against them.
To better support workers, the government should establish 鈥楲egal Aid Cells鈥� with proper resources in Bangladeshi Embassies to help workers abroad. At home, the government must create a separate, unbiased Arbitration Department, free from conflicts of interest and staffed with trained professionals. The system for handling complaints needs to be updated with new rules that guarantee fair compensation, covering both financial and social losses. Additionally, public campaigns and improved pre-departure training are needed to inform migrant workers of their rights and restore their trust in the justice system.
Destination countries, too, bear a significant responsibility. The government of Saudi Arabia must crack down on unethical visa trading by unscrupulous employers and review its Labour Reform Initiatives to eliminate provisions that allow employers to exploit migrant workers through absconding status and restrictions on job transfers. They must ensure that the current redressal system extends guarantees for fair and transparent procedures, and truly protects and benefits migrants, including female domestic workers. Similarly, the government of Malaysia must adhere to the recruitment provisions agreed upon in its MoU with Bangladesh and establish easy and accessible facilities for the protection and support of migrant workers.听
The contributions of Bangladeshi migrant workers are more than just economic; they are a profound human sacrifice. To allow their exploitation to continue is a moral failure that betrays their trust and diminishes their dignity. The government of Bangladesh must not play with migrant workers鈥� emotions; it must take true actions to ensure migrants鈥� justice, not tomorrow, but right now.
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Shakirul Islam is a migrant activist-researcher and one of the founding members of Ovibashi Karmi Unnayan Program (OKUP).