Thrust on reintegration of returned migrants
Tuesday, 21 April 2009
FE Report
A new initiative should be designed to ensure "productive investments" of remittances as well as ensure the reintegration of the returned migrants who lost jobs in the overseas market due to the global recession.
Nearly 23000 Bangladeshi workers returned home during January-March period this year, official data show, exposing the vulnerability of migrants' jobs amid the worst global recession in 75 years.
A pre-budget consultation on migrants rights, economic recession and reintegration of returned migrants to be held today (Tuesday) will make some proposals on the issues.
According to a study paper prepared by Manusher Jonno, a local NGO, necessary arrangement for making skilled manpower is also required to compete with other countries in manpower exports.
The government has already announced stimulus packages to ride out the effect of the global meltdown but unfortunately no steps have been taken to help the helpless people who are returning from abroad with empty handed.
The paper urged to take immediate measures to ensure the safety for the workers who were sent back home from many countries like Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and UAE.
The amount of remittance received from 1976 to 2008 was US$ 57 billion and in 2008, it was US$ 9 billion, which was two billion higher than the remittance sent by the workers in 2007.
The remittance received from 2007-08 was 11 percent of the total GDP and 10 times more than Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
According to the Bangladesh Manpower, Employment and Training Bureau (BMET), an estimated 6.5 million Bangladeshi are working abroad around the globe.
Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Bank is pressing ahead with the plan to extend loans or provide business advisory services to as many as 2000 families linked to overseas migration in dozen-plus districts, allowing them to start new businesses or expand the existing ventures.
"This initiative is without any external aid. It would put no burden on the government either," Robert Smith, a consultant with Bangladesh Bank's Remittance and Payment Partnership, said.
A new initiative should be designed to ensure "productive investments" of remittances as well as ensure the reintegration of the returned migrants who lost jobs in the overseas market due to the global recession.
Nearly 23000 Bangladeshi workers returned home during January-March period this year, official data show, exposing the vulnerability of migrants' jobs amid the worst global recession in 75 years.
A pre-budget consultation on migrants rights, economic recession and reintegration of returned migrants to be held today (Tuesday) will make some proposals on the issues.
According to a study paper prepared by Manusher Jonno, a local NGO, necessary arrangement for making skilled manpower is also required to compete with other countries in manpower exports.
The government has already announced stimulus packages to ride out the effect of the global meltdown but unfortunately no steps have been taken to help the helpless people who are returning from abroad with empty handed.
The paper urged to take immediate measures to ensure the safety for the workers who were sent back home from many countries like Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and UAE.
The amount of remittance received from 1976 to 2008 was US$ 57 billion and in 2008, it was US$ 9 billion, which was two billion higher than the remittance sent by the workers in 2007.
The remittance received from 2007-08 was 11 percent of the total GDP and 10 times more than Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
According to the Bangladesh Manpower, Employment and Training Bureau (BMET), an estimated 6.5 million Bangladeshi are working abroad around the globe.
Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Bank is pressing ahead with the plan to extend loans or provide business advisory services to as many as 2000 families linked to overseas migration in dozen-plus districts, allowing them to start new businesses or expand the existing ventures.
"This initiative is without any external aid. It would put no burden on the government either," Robert Smith, a consultant with Bangladesh Bank's Remittance and Payment Partnership, said.