Bangladesh continues to witness steady growth in outbound migration, with record-breaking remittance earnings, but the government is still not equipped to accurately track the returnee migrant workers.
While there is data on the number of workers sent abroad, there is no regular update on how many return home -- alive or dead -- due to factors like job loss, fraud, or illness.
However, migrant rights groups say that a significant number of migrants return home under various distressing circumstances, but the government does not give due importance to the migrants who have been contributing immensely to the country's economic development.
Citing official data, the Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU) said the number of outbound migrants saw a 12 per cent rise to 1.13 million in 2025, up from 1.01 million in 2024.
This growth led to a record US$ 32.82 billion in remittances in 2025, marking a 22 per cent rise from the previous year.
Shakirul Islam, Chairperson of the Ovibashi Karmi Unnayan Program (OKUP), said government negligence is at the heart of the issue, as expanding services for returnees would be necessary if accurate data were available. "The government takes pride in the number of people migrating abroad each year, but they fail to track how many return after falling victim to fraud, job mismatches, work permit rejections, health or fitness issues, physical injuries, or even unnatural deaths," he told the FE.
Citing a 2024 study, Islam noted that around 6 per cent of migrants returned home within the first three months of 2022 after failing to get employed, but the government remains largely unaware of this situation.
He pointed out that Bangladesh's migration data is "incomplete" and emphasised that "it is the responsibility of the state to ensure that all the data and documents are kept undated and due services provided to these workers".
A troubling aspect of the migration story is the number of migrant deaths. Every year, about four to five thousands of migrant workers' bodies are sent back.
In 2024, a record 4,813 deceased migrants were returned to families, an increase from 4,552 in 2023, according to the Wage Earners' Welfare Board (WEWB).
Yet, these deaths often remain shrouded in mystery, as bodies rarely undergo postmortem investigations upon arrival in Bangladesh.
According to a 2023-24 study by OKUP, 60 per cent of returnee migrants cited health issues as the reason for their return.
In 2024, about 15 per cent of newly diagnosed HIV-positive individuals in Bangladesh were returnee migrants, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
Mahmudur Rahman, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare & Overseas Employment, acknowledged the government's challenges in updating data on returnee migrants.
People who return home don't usually inform the government, he said, adding that the government is working with agencies concerned to improve the recording system and services for migrant workers.
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