60pc returnee women migrants jobless, 65pc have no regular income

BILS study reveals


FE REPORT | Published: September 28, 2021 08:39:11 | Updated: September 30, 2021 08:36:59


60pc returnee women migrants jobless, 65pc have no regular income

About 60 per cent of the returnee women migrant workers remain jobless at home, while 65 per cent have no regular income, according to a BILS study.

It showed, 61 per cent are bearing the burden of loans, 75 per cent have no savings, and 73 per cent of the returnee women cannot meet daily expenses of their families.

On the other hand, 55 per cent women migrants were forced to return home following different kinds of difficulties including wage, food and workplace-related harassment.

Nearly 23 per cent of the women returned before completing one year, and 18 per cent stayed at their workplaces in job destination countries one year and more.

The findings were shared at a press conference on Monday at the Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS) office in the capital.

The research on 'Economic and Social Condition of Returnee Women migrant' was conducted during the July-December period of 2020 in Chattogram, Jashore and Faridpur districts. The number of respondents was 323 returnee women.

The study said that the economic condition of one in every three returnee women deteriorated during the period than their earlier stage of migration. It was also found that a majority of them were worried about their livelihood in the future.

According to the research report, about 85 per cent of returnee women are frustrated over their current occupations and 57 per cent are concerned over their lives and income.

Deputy Director (Research) of BILS Md Manirul Islam presented the report.

BILS Executive Council members Md Shakil Akhter Chowdhury, Abdul Wahed, Pulok Ranjan Dhar, Director Nazma Yasmin and Deputy Director MA Mazid replied to the question of journalists at the event. They emphasised the economic and social reintegration of returnee women migrant workers.

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