TRENDS IN OVERSEAS MIGRATION AND ITS SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACTS: BANGLADESH PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

Overseas workers’ remittance is considered as one of the key drivers of our emerging economy and getting a larger space in the socio-economic developments of Bangladesh.  Manpower export started in 1976 and large scale labour migration gained its momentum in early 1990s. It turned into an important effective tool for poverty alleviation and reduces the pressure of unemployment at domestic sectors. This paper examines the trends in the Bangladeshi workers migration and the impacts of remittance inflow primarily on the social and economic developments. Majority of the migrant workers’ are unskilled and less educated who work in the countries of Middle East and South East Asia. Female workers migration is negligible in percent compared to male migrants due to the government policy guidelines, but now it is in increasing trend. Remittances contributed tremendously in improving the social and economic indicators like living condition and housing, education, health care, nutrition, social security, poverty reduction and economic activities in the rural area. Bangladesh is now in the top 10 remittance receiving countries among the 48 LDCs. It is expected that if remittance contributes in maintaining a satisfactory steady economic growth of 8 percent for increasing the per capita GDP that may help Bangladesh in transforming into a middle-income country by the next decade.