Falling gulf demand strains overseas employment

Khandaker Obaidullah :

Bangladesh’s overseas employment sector is facing renewed uncertainty, with declining recruitment from key labour markets such as Middle East and Malaysia, raising concerns about the sustainability of the country’s manpower export industry and future remittance inflow.

Although recent figures show nearly 300,000 workers migrated abroad over the past five months, this represents a 30 per cent decrease compared to the same period in 2023, according to the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET).

The country’s continued dependence on a small number of destination countries is amplifying vulnerabilities when disruptions occur in these markets.

Saudi Arabia and Malaysia, the top two destinations for Bangladeshi workers, have currently suspended or slowed down recruitment, while other Gulf nations such as the UAE, Oman, Qatar, and Kuwait have also reduced their intake of Bangladeshi labour.

Earlier this month, Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus visited Malaysia for bilateral talks with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. While the Malaysian side agreed to improve worker welfare and reduce costs, no assurance was provided regarding the dissolution of the syndicate system.

So far, 7,900 workers, previously excluded from the process, have been cleared to migrate via BOESL (Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services Limited), although a framework for new applications is yet to be announced.

Md. Fakhrul Islam, former Joint Secretary General-1 of the Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA), on Thursday expressed concern over the overall decline in migration opportunities. “Reduced demand, irregular wage payments, and tougher skill testing have discouraged many workers from pursuing overseas employment,” he said.

He noted that even where job offers exist, many cannot migrate due to the control exerted by recruitment syndicates. While remittance flows remain steady for now, Islam warned that continued reductions in migration could significantly impact national remittance income—a key pillar of Bangladesh’s economy.

Fakhrul Islam urged the government to take immediate steps to dismantle syndicate practices in Malaysia, reopen closed markets such as Oman and Bahrain, and strengthen skills training programmes to make workers more competitive globally.

“Remittance is a cornerstone of our economy. To protect it, we must take proactive measures to maintain and expand access to overseas employment,” he stressed.

In light of challenges in the Gulf and Southeast Asian markets, Italy has emerged as a growing destination under the 2025 Flussi Decree. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangladeshi applicants who submitted work permit requests after 22 October 2024 have begun receiving visas.

The Italian Embassy in Dhaka has expanded its visa processing staff to manage demand. However, the process has been hindered by a surge in fraudulent applications and forged documents submitted by unlicensed middlemen. These issues have prompted multiple criminal investigations by Italian authorities.

With recruitment pipelines from Saudi Arabia and Malaysia in flux, policymakers and stakeholders are increasingly concerned that Bangladesh’s overseas employment prospects may weaken unless swift reforms are introduced.

They stressed that market diversification, transparent recruitment practices, and skill development must become national priorities to ensure long-term sustainability.