The ongoing Coronavirus epidemic has started taking its toll on overseas employment sector, as recruiting countries have already initiated different measures to check foreigners' movements to prevent spreading of the deadly virus.
Insiders have said the job destination countries have not yet imposed any embargo on movement of Bangladeshi workers, but the demand for workers has become low.
Besides, many local workers, who have already completed necessary procedure to go abroad, are in a dilemma - whether they will leave the country or not at this moment - considering health issues.
So far, Bangladeshi citizens have been infected with the virus in Singapore, the UAE and Italy. As a result, a significant number of Bangladeshis, working in countries like Singapore, Hong Kong, the UAE, Bahrain, Italy and Japan, are also struggling amid the ongoing outbreak.
Shameem Ahmed Chowdhury Noman, joint secretary general of Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA), said overseas employment sector is at high risk, as the disease spreads with human contact.
The sector has already been experiencing a sluggish trend for the last two years. If the virus outbreak cannot be controlled quickly, the agencies will face major setback, he mentioned.
Until now workers' demand and outflow remain somewhat normal, as none of the job destination countries has imposed any embargo on workers' movement.
The BAIRA official also advised outbound workers to remain cautious and abide by health-related suggestions of their host countries.
On the other hand, Md. Anowar Hossain, owner of Sun Shine Overseas, said outflow of local workers to Saudi Arabia has declined due to the Coronavirus outbreak worldwide.
His company can currently send maximum 30 workers to Saudi Arabia a week, whereas the number was about 40 earlier.
They are not getting demand note for sending workers like previous time, as foreign employers are observing the situation.
Many workers are also not willing to go abroad in this condition. They are waiting for improvement of the situation, he mentioned.
Meanwhile, the total number of Coronavirus infection case has increased to 97,510, including 3,345 deaths in 85 countries until Thursday.
The virus has already been detected in different Middle-East countries, including Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain.
Saudi Arabia restricted travel and Umrah visa to avoid movements of foreign nationals there.
On the other hand, Kuwait, on Tuesday, made medical certificates for the nationals from 10 countries, including Bangladeshis, mandatory. But the state withdrew the restriction on Thursday following requests by the countries concerned.
Shakirul Islam, chairman of Ovibashi Karmi Unnayan Programme (OKUP) - a grassroots-level migrants' organisation, said Bangladeshi workers in different countries are now worried about their safety.
Some of them, who recently went abroad, want to come back home, he said, referring to reports of community mobilisers of his organisation.
The government should take proper steps to support the workers. Bangladesh missions and embassies abroad should provide online briefing to them with necessary advices, he added.
When contacted, Wage Earners' Welfare Board deputy director Zahid Anwar said if needed, they will extend support to the embassies.
They have already given Tk 140,000 to Bangladesh mission in Hong Kong for purchasing necessary safety equipments, like - masks, for protection of workers.
According to the data of Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training, about 12 million Bangladeshis went abroad with jobs since 1976.
