More than 80 per cent of Bangladeshi workers was forced to migrate to Italy from Libya as they were jobless in the war-torn country, according to a new study.
Of the total workers surveyed, some 79.3 per cent knew they could die in the sea, said the study released Sunday in Dhaka.
But they boarded the boat towards Italy for the sake of their families back at home.
However, some 15.7 per cent of Italy-bound Bangladeshis had fallen into the trap of human traffickers and smugglers.
These Bangladeshis came to Libya via Sudan and Egypt before travelling to Italy.
While the Libyan job market has remained closed since 2015, Bangladeshis still go the African country illegally, owing to the lax monitoring of the government, speakers said.
The study titled "Gambling on life: The Plights of Bangladeshi Migrants Crossing the Mediterranean' was launched at a Spectra Convention Centre in the city.
Ovibashi Karmi Unnayan Program (OKUP) conducted the survey between 2013 and 2017 on 279 Bangladeshi migrants in Italy.
The respondents were picked from four major cities including Rome, Venice, Senigallia and Palermo.
Besides, some 92 migrant households were surveyed in three villages of Bhairab upazila in Kishoreganj district in Bangladesh.
The study recommended reforming existing migration laws and ensuring effective enforcement of those.
The allocation of necessary funds for migrants' welfare and exemplary legal action against human traffickers should also be taken to check irregular migration from Bangladesh, the study suggested.
The British High Commission supported the study.
In his presentation, OKUP chairman Shakirul Islam said the workers spent substantial amount of money, ranging from US$ 8000 to $ 18,000 each to get a job in Italy.
Workers managed the cost through selling assets or borrowing, he said referring to the the study.
He noted that some 76 per cent of migrant families secured loans or mortgaged lands to finance the migration costs.
Besides, slightly over 14 per cent of the families had to manage more money to pay ransom while the migrants were kidnapped or arrested en route to Italy.
The pressure to pay back debts has had an impact on food curtail of 79.3 per cent of families.
It forced some 2.7 per cent of families to skip one meal at least a day, Mr Islam said.
About 36.9 per cent of migrant children of the left behind families stopped attending school.
Also, some 10.9 per cent of the children started working to support the families, according to the study.
Acting British High Commissioner Gill Atkinson attended the launching ceremony as the special guest
IOM deputy chief of mission Abdusattor Esoev spoke as a panelist.
He said that it was necessary to create awareness about the danger of trafficking.
Skilled migration can be promoted to reduce the risk of trafficking, he added.
Lesley Nicol, head of immigration and migration of British High Commission, OKUP executive director Omar Faruk Chowdhury, journalist Karamot Ullah Biplob, Sumaiya Islam, director of Bangladeshi Ovibashi Mohila Sramik Association (BOMSA) were present at the programme, among others.
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