Dhaka (The Daily Star/ANN) - Overseas jobs for Bangladeshis declined by around 40 per cent in the last three years of this government's tenure mainly because it could do little for the reopening of markets of three major manpower importing countries and the global economic recession slowed down recruitment.
Additionally, no new manpower market was explored during this period.
Training nurses specifically for jobs abroad was a pledge of the present government but till date no concrete step has been taken in this regard.
Around 20.89 lakh Bangladeshis took up jobs overseas in 2006, 2007 and 2008 but the number came down to around 13.8 lakh in the following three years, according to official data. (A lakh is equivalent to 100,000.)
However, increased recruitment by Oman, and jobs for a small number of female workers in Jordan this year led to a slight increase in the number of jobs abroad. By the year end, the number could be around 5.5 lakh.
The slide in overseas jobs followed the ban imposed by Malaysia in early 2009 and restriction on recruitment by Saudi Arabia in 2008.
Besides, Kuwait continues its ban, imposed in 2006, while job transfer options in Saudi Arabia have also become limited, frustrating the Bangladeshis there.
Recruiting bodies had expected the government to step up efforts for the reopening of manpower markets in the three countries where over 30 lakh Bangladeshis work. But that did not happen.
"We did not see strong diplomatic efforts in this regard. It was very frustrating," said Abul Basher, president of Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (Baira).
Expatriates' Welfare Minister Khandker Mosharraf Hossain, however, said too many irregularities in labour recruitment had led to the ban.
Malaysia, which is now recasting its foreign workers sector, will soon start recruiting from Bangladesh. Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are also taking similar steps, he said.
At a press conference recently, Mosharraf said amendments to labour immigration-related rules were underway, and an inter-ministerial taskforce had been formed to monitor irregularities in the recruitment process.
The high cost of migration was a major reason behind malpractices in recruitment, he said. "We will soon fix migration costs. If recruiting agencies do not abide by them, action will be taken. All this will surely help expand our labour market."
No new market explored
Early last year, the government formed five committees which would visit different manpower importing countries in Africa, East Asia and Europe to explore new markets. But the committees are yet to visit any country.
"We requested our missions in the countries concerned to arrange specific programmes so that such visits become fruitful. But we did not find them doing this," said an official when contacted.
However, in September last year, a delegation led by the foreign secretary visited four West African countries-Ghana, Liberia, Senegal and Ivory Coast-for exploring opportunities for jobs, share-cropping and trade. So far there has been no headway made regarding jobs in those countries.
Romania recruited around 1,500 garment workers starting in 2008. But alleged abuse of workers and the flight of some workers to other European countries led to a temporary halt to recruitment.
Seasonal workers who had gone to Sweden in 2010 returned early for bad weather. Besides, some of them had left Sweden. This led to a halt to recruitment by Sweden.
Abul Basher said there was a lack of coordinated efforts by the foreign and expatriates' welfare ministries in exploring new markets for manpower export, addressing workers' issues and developing the sector, which could fetch nearly US$12 billion a year.
Middlemen, an unsettled issue
For years, experts have suggested either legalising or eliminating middlemen from the recruitment process as they contribute to high migration costs and engage in malpractices, but their suggestions have consistently been ignored.
The Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training (BMET) initiated the creation of a database to allow job seekers to register online and upload their bio-data. This would enable recruiting agencies or employers to choose job seekers from the database. If implemented properly, this would eliminate middlemen and cut migration costs, BMET officials have said.
The government stressed more recruitment of workers by the state-owned recruiting agency BOESL. The agency alone recruited female workers for jobs in Jordan, a move that irked private recruiting agents.
The government's job is to regulate the sector but it is not doing the job properly, said one agent.
Sluggish progress
Immediately after this government took charge, Mosharraf emphasised skills development. Accordingly, a Skill Development Fund was created and initiatives were taken for establishing 30 technical training centres and five marine technology institutes. But three years into the government's term, the construction of only eight centres is now going on.
Positive steps
The government quickly established the Expatriates' Welfare Bank aimed at giving loans to job seekers at nine percent interest, and to returnee migrants at 11 percent interest.
Migration experts appreciated the government's positive steps in repatriating over 36,000 stranded Bangladeshis amid the civil conflict in Libya early this year and granting them 50,000 taka ($600) each.
The government introduced a smart card with computer chips containing job seekers' and employers' information. Using the card, migrants can get help from the authorities in case they fall into difficulties, including losing passports.
It is now providing free training to women going abroad as housemaids. Annual overseas jobs of female workers increased to around 26,000 in the last three years compared to about 19,000 in the previous three years.
Migrants' rights activist Anisur Rahman Khan, however, said, "The number could increase further, but we have not seen much of an effort to protect female workers from abuses."
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