Bangladesh has failed to tap into the labour market for its women workers in Hong Kong due to lack of proper initiatives, migrant experts and sector insiders said.
Manpower recruiting agencies mainly prefer to send domestic helps to Middle East (ME) countries, especially in Saudi Arabia, to make a hefty profit. So, they are reluctant to explore new market, they said.
Also, the government did not take any initiatives to tap the potential of this attractive job market, they added.
As labour rights, wages and others facilities for domestic helps are far better in Hong Kong than in the ME countries, Hong Kong could be a prospective destination for Bangladeshi housemaids, said the experts.
According to the data of Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training (BMET), a total of 1496 women went to Hong Kong with jobs between 2013 and July 2018.
In the seven months of this year, only 87 women workers went to Hong Kong, the data showed.
But at least 50,000 housekeepers could be sent to Hong Kong a year, sector insiders said.
Talking to the FE, Abdul Alim, proprietor of SA Trading, said a foreign housekeeper in Hong Kong earns US$600 (equivalent to Tk 48,000) as the minimum monthly wage with paid weekends and other benefits.
For a Hong Kong-bound woman, the migration cost is $1600 to $1800.
Presently, mostly Myanmar and Cambodian women workers are recruited, said Mr Alim.
As Bangladesh fails to send enough women workers, employers in Hong Kong now look to others labour-sending countries, he said.
"But it could be a prospective market for Bangladeshi domestic helps," said Mr Alim whose company sends women workers to Hong Kong.
There has already been an agreement signed between the BMET and manpower recruiters in Hong Kong in 2012.
"Recruiting agencies of Hong Kong wanted to provide loans for women. But the authorities in our country did not agree with such proposal," Mr Alim said.
Instead of accepting this offer, the government provided loans from Probashi Kallayan Bank, which created a barrier to sending workers, he added.
If employers would provide loans, it could be helpful for the women to manage their migration cost. The employers would also have more responsibility towards women, he said.
Besides, the government should also have given a certain amount of allowance to the trainees to inspire them to complete the full course, he added.
On the other hand, over 5000 Bangladeshi women returned home from Saudi Arabia due to exploitations at the workplaces in the last three years.
They have suffered various forms of abuses, including physical, mental and sexual assaults. Denial of wages and food is also commonplace.
According to the sector insiders, recruiting agencies received US$ 2000, including air fare, passport, medical test and their commission, from Saudi employers to send a woman worker there. They also charge every woman Tk 50,000, on an average, as migration cost.
The recruiters take Tk 50,000 to Tk 300,000 from a woman for jobs in others ME countries like Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates.
On the other hand, manpower recruiters get only US$ 200 as commission for sending a domestic help to Hong Kong.
Sumaiya Islam, director of Bangladesh Ovibashi Mohila Sramik Association (BOMSA), said criteria for a Hong Kong-bound domestic help are different than those for a ME-bound worker.
She said a certain level of educational qualification is needed as they have to be fluent in English and Cantonese language. Norms and culture and efficiency in housekeeping work also have to be up to the mark.
So, the government should take steps to improve the skills of women workers to send them to Hong Kong, she added.
"Many girls drop out before SSC exams, but they want to do something. Such women could be sent to Hong Kong to help empower them," she added.
When asked, Nurul Islam, director of BMET, said they tried their best to tap the market potential, but manpower recruiters did not come forward.
Most manpower recruiters want to gain more profit. So, they send women to ME countries, he added.
According to him, currently 350,000 foreign domestic helps are working in Hong Kong. Of them, 190,000 are from the Philippines and 150,000 from Indonesia.
Although, Philippines now send less domestic workers to Hong Kong, they had sent 40,000 domestic helps in the last six years. But Bangladesh had sent only about 15000 since 2012, he said.
"However, we are trying to increase the outflow of women workers to Hong Kong," he added.
