Need for comprehensive data on migrant workers

The country continues to witness steady growth in outbound migration, accompanied with record-breaking remittance earnings. Yet behind the encouraging headline figures lies a significant blind spot: the absence of comprehensive data on returnee migrant workers. The lack of systematic information on how many migrants return, the reasons behind their return, and the extent of issues related to sickness, injury, or death creates a serious void in understanding the country's overall migration situation.

According to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), Bangladesh is currently the sixth largest migrant-sending country in the world, with more than 11 million Bangladeshis working overseas. Migration has long been promoted as a pathway to employment, poverty reduction and foreign currency inflow. However, migrant rights organisations argue that this one-sided focus on outward flows and remittances overlooks a large and vulnerable group-migrants who return home under dismal circumstances. Despite their immense contribution to national development, returnee migrants receive limited policy attention and inadequate institutional support.

Official figures reflect the continued upward trend in overseas employment. Citing government data, the Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU) reported that outbound migration increased by 12 per cent in 2025, reaching 1.13 million workers, compared with 1.01 million in 2024. This surge translated into a historic US$32.82 billion in remittances in 2025, representing a 22 per cent rise from the previous year. These numbers are frequently highlighted by policymakers as evidence of the success of Bangladesh's labour migration strategy.

Yet, experts caution that these figures tell only part of the story. Shakirul Islam, chairperson of the Ovibashi Karmi Unnayan Programme (OKUP), argues that government negligence lies at the heart of the problem. He notes that while authorities celebrate the rising number of outbound migrants, they fail to monitor how many return prematurely after becoming victims of fraud, job mismatches, work permit rejections, health or fitness complications, workplace injuries, or even unnatural deaths. "If accurate data on returnees existed, the government would be compelled to expand services for them," he told the media. Referring to a 2024 study, he said that around 6.0 per cent of migrants returned home within the first three months of 2022 after failing to secure employment abroad. Alarmingly, he claims that the government remains largely unaware of this trend due to the absence of a robust tracking mechanism. According to him, Bangladesh's migration data is fundamentally "incomplete," and it is the responsibility of the state to ensure that all relevant data and documentation are updated and that due service was provided to migrant workers throughout the migration cycle, including after their return.

One of the most troubling aspects of Bangladesh's migration narrative is the high number of migrant deaths abroad. Each year, an estimated 4,000 to 5,000 bodies of migrant workers are repatriated. Data from the Wage Earners' Welfare Board (WEWB) show that in 2024 alone, a record 4,813 deceased migrants were returned to their families, up from 4,552 in 2023. Despite the scale of these deaths, many remain shrouded in mystery. In most cases, bodies do not undergo postmortem examinations upon arrival in Bangladesh, leaving families without clear answers and limiting the state's ability to investigate unsafe working conditions, employer negligence, or potential rights violations abroad.

Beyond deaths, the reasons for migrants' return remain poorly documented. At present, sporadic media reports appear to be the primary source of information on why workers come back. A 2023-24 study by OKUP found that 60 per cent of returnee migrants cited health-related issues as the main reason for their return. This highlights the physical and mental toll of overseas employment, often carried out in hazardous environments with limited access to healthcare.

Health data further underscore the vulnerability of returnee migrants. According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), about 15 per cent of newly diagnosed HIV-positive individuals in Bangladesh in 2024 were returnee migrants. This statistic points to serious gaps in health awareness, prevention, and screening mechanisms both before departure and after return, as well as the stigma and lack of support many returnees face once back home.

Despite the commendable contribution of migrant workers to Bangladesh's economy, the authorities concerned appear ill-equipped to develop a comprehensive database that captures all relevant aspects of migration. A holistic migration management system would require integrating data on recruitment, overseas employment conditions, return patterns, health outcomes, injuries, deaths, and reintegration challenges. Without such data, policy responses remain fragmented and reactive, leaving returnee migrants largely invisible.

Experts argue that addressing this gap is not merely a technical issue but a matter of rights and accountability. Migrant workers are often hailed as "remittance heroes," yet their struggles, particularly upon return, receive little recognition. Strengthening data collection, ensuring transparency, and expanding reintegration services would not only provide a clearer picture of Bangladesh's migration landscape but also honour the sacrifices made by millions of workers who sustain the economy through their labour abroad.

Ultimately, ensuring the sustainability of Bangladesh's migration-driven growth requires shifting the policy lens beyond departure figures and remittance volumes to the full migration cycle. Returnee migrants-whether they come back successful, unemployed, sick, injured, or deceased-are an integral part of this cycle and deserve institutional recognition and support. Developing a comprehensive, centralised database on return migration, strengthening coordination among relevant agencies, and investing in health screening, legal aid, and reintegration programmes are critical steps forward. Without addressing these gaps, Bangladesh risks overlooking the human cost behind its migration success story, undermining both the welfare of migrant workers and the long-term resilience of the sector that contributes so significantly to national development.

wasiahmed.bd@gmail.com