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The outflow of skilled and professional workers from Bangladesh increased slightly in the last calendar year, though there was no reflection of it in the remittance inflow, a research body shows.
Chair of Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU), Professor Tasneem Siddiqui said at a press conference in the city on Wednesday that manpower export was setting records one after another, but initiatives were not taken properly to ensure quality migration.
As a result, overall development of the sector was not visible yet. "Firm commitment of the government is needed," he added.
The report showed that the country sent abroad 24.77 per cent skilled workers, while 21.01 per cent semi-skilled and 4.14 per cent professionals in 2023. The less-skilled workers were 50 per cent.
On the other hand, about 22.73 per cent were skilled, 3.85 per cent semi-skilled, 0.34 per cent professionals and 73.08 per cent less-skilled workers sent abroad in 2022.
The 'Migration Trend Report from Bangladesh-2022, Achievement and Challenge' was unveiled at the press conference at the National Press Club in the city.
The RMMRU chair presented the report, while Md Salim Reza, a full-time member of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), was present as the chief guest.
Bangladesh sent abroad about 1.3 million workers in 2023. Of the total, the highest 38.12 per cent went to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).
Although the largest number of workers went to Saudi Arabia, it was second in terms of remittances sent from that country last year.
The highest amount of remittances usually comes from the KSA every year. But last year the largest amount came from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
When asked, Tasneem Siddiqui said remittance of money through the unofficial channel called 'hundi' and untimely return home of many expatriates might be the reasons for the lower inflow from Saudi Arabia.
"Proper research is needed in this regard."
Bangladeshis working abroad sent home US$ 21.91 billion in 2023 and $21.28 billion in 2022.
NHRC full-time member Md Salim Reza emphasised migration of skilled workers as only it could help eliminate workplace exploitation and increase remittance income.
Mr Reza, also former secretary at the Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry, said only quality labour-migration from Bangladesh in terms of skill and fairness happened in the cases of South Korea and Japan.
"Bangladesh has to follow these models to ensure quality migration," he said.
He also suggested that Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services Limited (BOESL), the government's lone recruitment agency, take initiatives, including marketing, to meet the quota of Korean jobs.
He, however, said BOESL received a job quota of 10,000 workers from South Korea for 2023.
"But the country could send about 5,000 workers for different reasons, including a negative perception about Bangladeshi workers, as they switch jobs, and their lack of language proficiency."
The government agency also failed to go for aggressive marketing for fulfilling the quota, he added.
RMMRU made a set of suggestions, including declaring 2025-2035 as the decade of migration.
It also urged observance of December 18 as Migrants' Day as declared by the United Nations, instead of the newly-introduced 'National Expatriate Day' December 30.