Overseas employment starts showing signs of recovery
Friday, 6 November 2009
Mashiur Rahaman
Overseas employment has started showing 'signs of recovery' in October 2009, fuelled by job-surge in Middle East and North African countries as the impact of global recession starts easing, official said.
A total of 43,334 Bangladeshi secured overseas employment last month, which was the third highest monthly workers migration recorded this year, well placed official within the Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training (BMET) told the FE.
The monthly figure in this year was yet 47.35 per cent below the figure recorded in 2008. It was 74,029 in October last year.
"Bangladeshi manpower employment in October witnessed significant growth in Middle Eastern countries, especially in Dubai, Libya, Oman, Bahrain and Lebanon as the region is showing signs of financial recovery," he said.
Pointing to encouraging growth in Singapore as well, the BMET official forecast good days ahead.
During the first 10 months of the year, total 401,505 Bangladeshi found overseas jobs. It was 41.46 per cent below the total employment number recorded in January-October period in 2008.
BMET data shows the oil-rich Dubai alone employed 25,185 Bangladeshis last month (October 2009). It was the second largest monthly employment this year. Similar surge was also seen in Libya-- the newly exposed job destination for Bangladesh workers, recorded at 2,437 in October 2009.
Similar to Middle East and North Africa, signs of manpower export recovery in Singapore is also being visible as 3,767 Bangladeshi workers found jobs there in October. The monthly employment figure was the third largest since recession hit the international trade oriented South-eastern country.
"This is a good sign though we are far behind the target for the year," Shameem Ahmed Chowdhury, Joint Secretary General of Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA) told the FE.
With the opening of new job markets and as a response to the recovering global financial recession, the largest revenue earning sector of the country is finally healing its wounds, he said.
But to make the current growth momentum sustainable he advised the government to be cautious.
"Correct growth in Dubai, Libya and Iraq is very encouraging but we are also receiving several cases of mismanagements and laps of coordination among stake-holders, causing sufferings to migrating workers," Mr Chowdhury said.
A great demand for Bangladeshi workers have emerged in these countries, but we have to be extremely cautious this time to take the best advantage of the present opportunity, he added.
Recalling avoidable mistakes in recent pasts, he urged both the government and the recruiting agents-"Let's not make the same mistakes again."
The manpower exporting sector of the country has been facing massive pressure of job cuts from almost every major employment markets as an impact of global financial recession. In place of 875,055 employments by the end of 2008, the country is struggling to reach the 500,000 mark that the Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment ministry set target for the year 2009.
Overseas employment has started showing 'signs of recovery' in October 2009, fuelled by job-surge in Middle East and North African countries as the impact of global recession starts easing, official said.
A total of 43,334 Bangladeshi secured overseas employment last month, which was the third highest monthly workers migration recorded this year, well placed official within the Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training (BMET) told the FE.
The monthly figure in this year was yet 47.35 per cent below the figure recorded in 2008. It was 74,029 in October last year.
"Bangladeshi manpower employment in October witnessed significant growth in Middle Eastern countries, especially in Dubai, Libya, Oman, Bahrain and Lebanon as the region is showing signs of financial recovery," he said.
Pointing to encouraging growth in Singapore as well, the BMET official forecast good days ahead.
During the first 10 months of the year, total 401,505 Bangladeshi found overseas jobs. It was 41.46 per cent below the total employment number recorded in January-October period in 2008.
BMET data shows the oil-rich Dubai alone employed 25,185 Bangladeshis last month (October 2009). It was the second largest monthly employment this year. Similar surge was also seen in Libya-- the newly exposed job destination for Bangladesh workers, recorded at 2,437 in October 2009.
Similar to Middle East and North Africa, signs of manpower export recovery in Singapore is also being visible as 3,767 Bangladeshi workers found jobs there in October. The monthly employment figure was the third largest since recession hit the international trade oriented South-eastern country.
"This is a good sign though we are far behind the target for the year," Shameem Ahmed Chowdhury, Joint Secretary General of Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA) told the FE.
With the opening of new job markets and as a response to the recovering global financial recession, the largest revenue earning sector of the country is finally healing its wounds, he said.
But to make the current growth momentum sustainable he advised the government to be cautious.
"Correct growth in Dubai, Libya and Iraq is very encouraging but we are also receiving several cases of mismanagements and laps of coordination among stake-holders, causing sufferings to migrating workers," Mr Chowdhury said.
A great demand for Bangladeshi workers have emerged in these countries, but we have to be extremely cautious this time to take the best advantage of the present opportunity, he added.
Recalling avoidable mistakes in recent pasts, he urged both the government and the recruiting agents-"Let's not make the same mistakes again."
The manpower exporting sector of the country has been facing massive pressure of job cuts from almost every major employment markets as an impact of global financial recession. In place of 875,055 employments by the end of 2008, the country is struggling to reach the 500,000 mark that the Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment ministry set target for the year 2009.