The outbound migration of Bangladeshi workers has surged significantly, with approximately 750,000 departing in the initial seven months of this year.

Official data unveils a 10% rise in July compared to the previous month, indicating an escalating trend in international worker deployment.

The Bureau of Manpower, Employment, and Training (BMET) disclosed that 743,426 workers left for foreign employment from January to July. In July solely, 125,850 Bangladeshis secured overseas jobs, while June witnessed 114,175 doing the same.

About 36% of departing workers chose Saudi Arabia as the prime destination. Malaysia closely followed, contributing to over 29% of migrations, with Oman at 12%. Bangladesh maintains labor ties with nearly 20 nations.

Projections suggest Malaysia’s consistent hiring might yield approximately 1.4 million overseas positions this year. The country has been actively recruiting from Bangladesh, employing 218,415 workers in the past seven months.

Yet, concerns surface about migration quality. Workers bound for the Middle East and Malaysia encounter escalating migration costs, resulting in financial strain. Many laborers return due to inadequate wages and limited job openings.

Experts accentuate prioritizing improved migration quality over mere quantity amplification. As evident in recent Bangladesh Bank data, subpar migration quality could impede remittance inflow. July 2023 witnessed a nearly 6% drop in remittances from overseas Bangladeshi workers, dwindling from US$2.09 billion in July 2022 to US$1.97 billion.

Additionally, remittances dipped by over 10% compared to June 2023.