The New Nation - Internet Edition

THE lifeline of the Bangladesh economy, remittances from overseas workers, reportedly stands threatened at the moment. This situation has not so much to do with the manpower exporting firms or the workers themselves. The threat to manpower export stems from growingly adverse policies on the part of the host countries and their governments that require our government to embark on immediate all out diplomatic efforts to help reverse conditions for the better.

Seven countries in the middle eastern region and south east Asia are the prime destinations of Bangladesh's manpower from where the lion's share of the remittances that vitally cushion the economy from major debacles, are obtained. The seven destinations are Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Malaysia, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar. Among the seven countries, Saudi Arabia has been the host to the biggest number of Bangladeshi workers. But four out of these seven countries-- Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Kuwait and Bahrain-- have practically clamped down on further sending of Bangladeshi workers.

The ban-like situation in respect of these four countries means that there is now no growth prospect for manpower export in two-thirds of the manpower export markets of Bangladesh. Besides, these countries have of late also been deporting Bangladeshi workers in large numbers. According to one estimate, nearly five thousand Bangladeshi workers were sent back to Bangladesh last May from these four countries. Thus, the situation is a very grave one to say the least. If this trend continues, then Bangladesh economy would go on a tailspin from the loss in manpower export. It is learnt that the government has so far limited its response to writing to the foreign ministries of these countries. Given the threat it poses to the economy, a much more proactive and vigorous diplomatic move is urgently needed.