Reintegration support for the pandemic-hit returnee migrant workers is still a far cry, thus the majority of them are going through tough times at home, workers and rights activists said.
More than 10 million Bangladeshi workers are now staying abroad with jobs and most of them are in the Middle East (ME).
Due to coronavirus fallout and decline in oil price, drop in employment in the ME and other regions, a significant number of workers returned home being jobless since April this year.
Statistics released by Expatriates' Welfare Desk at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) showed that a total of 326,758 workers came back home being jobless from 29 countries during the period between April 01 and November 30 this year. Arrival of the workers is still continuing from different countries.
Besides, nearly 150,000 workers came home 'on leave' from different countries including Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Singapore and the Maldives. But they could not go back to their workplaces due to Iqama (work permit) and air ticket related complications.
Referring to field experience, Shakirul Islam, chairman of Ovibashi Karmi Unnayan Programme (OKUP), said returnee workers are going through tough times as they cannot get involved with income generating activities.
But the government is yet to come up with any comprehensive plan to support the workers, he said, adding that migrant workers are contributing a lot to the country's economy.
"So, they deserve a proper reintegration policy support when they return home empty-handed," he observed.
Talking to the FE, Raihan Mia, a returnee migrant worker, said he has given up hope to get a job at home for earning livelihood.
Raihan (26) went to Iraq three years ago and came back home in July this year as his company was closed following continuous losses.
"I am the lone breadwinner in my family. But unfortunately, I am forced to come back home during this pandemic period," he said.
He has been looking for job for last four months. But he did not get any response from anywhere.
"I have tried to get a job in textile mill and construction sector. Even I have contacted a person to manage a job at airport terminal as a labourer but failed," said Mr Mia who hails from Narsingdi district.
After that he decided to purchase an easy bike to meet emergency expenses. He borrowed Tk 100,000 from a moneylender to meet the cost of his bike.
When asked he said, he had gone for loan, launched by the government through Probashi Kallyan Bank (PKB). But he failed to apply for it as terms and conditions are beyond his reach.
If he would get the fund, he could start a cattle farm, he said, adding that it is very tough for the workers to start a business as loan service is not hassle-free for them.
"Now my future is uncertain. Even I cannot plan for remigration as there is no demand for workers in job destination countries," he added.
The welfare desk data showed that among the returnee workers, around 287,484 were male and 39,274 were female. Most of women returned home from Saudi Arabia, followed by United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Lebanon and Oman.
Female workers also returned home being jobless. Moreover, they are exploited and tortured in many ways at their workplaces.
Anjana Rani Sutradhar (36) said she could not bring six-month salaries when she came back home. She was tortured physically by her employer in Saudi Arabia when she demanded her dues.
Anjana, a single mother, is the only income source in her family. She has recently joined a factory as a day-labourer. But her earning is too little to meet basic expenses.
"I get only Tk 150 per day," she said, adding that she stopped schooling of her sons because of money crisis.
She returned home in June. Since then, she has been searching a suitable job or business scope to increase income.
According to a research report, released by International Organization for Migration (IOM) in August last, about 70 per cent of Bangladeshi returnee migrants are struggling to find jobs.
The study on 'Rapid Assessment of Needs and Vulnerabilities of Internal and International Return Migrants in Bangladesh' was conducted on 1,486 workers who returned from abroad during the period between February and June.
The report said returnee migrants faced reintegration challenges including difficulties in securing employment, financial problems (lack of income and accumulating debt), and health-related issues.
Unplanned and large-scale return of unemployed migrant workers affects remittance-dependent communities across the country where each migrant worker supports three members of his/her household on average.
However, as a part of reintegration support by the government, a fund worth Tk 2.0 billion was launched in July last through PKB.
But workers are facing difficulties in going through the procedure of applying for loan as they cannot fulfil the conditions. Only 355 returnees have so far received the loan since its inauguration.
The government has also started a skills certification programme-Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)-- to help returnee migrant workers get jobs at home and abroad. But it is also hardly getting any response from returnee migrant workers due to lack of publicity.
This certification does not assure job which is another vital reason behind such poor response from them, migration experts said. Eighty-one workers have participated in the RPL to get their skills certified since it started.
OKUP's Shakirul Islam said the procedure of the government's programmes should be worker-friendly.
To this effect, one-stop service centre can be helpful to ensure income generating and psycho-social reintegration support for them, he said.
Jasiya Khatoon, director of WARBE Development Foundation, said the government should create more funds for returnee workers' livelihood programme across the country.
Some organisations like WARBE are also providing services to returnees, but those are not sufficient. So, a mechanism is very crucial where all stakeholders and government can work together for the wellbeing of the returnees, she also observed.
When asked, Ahmed Munirus Saleheen, secretary of the expatriates' welfare and overseas employment ministry, said they are trying their best to provide hassle-free services.
They have already eased terms and conditions of PKB loan as the number of beneficiaries is still low. "We are also thinking how to enhance services for the workers," he mentioned.
