Around 4,38,000 Bangladeshi migrants have returned during the Covid-19 pandemic as a result of losing employment as the pandemic hit the world, according to Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) officials.
The Covid-19 crisis has exacerbated the challenges faced by migrants. Most of them had to return in a state of destitution after being left stranded in host countries without enough food, shelter, access to essential services for a long time.
Md Zahid Anwar, Deputy Director of Wage Earners' Welfare Board (WEWB) told Bangladesh Post that a total of Tk 700 crore has been allocated for the expatriates to help them survive; Tk 200 crore from WEWB and Tk 500 crore from the government. Migrants can take loans at four percent interest rate under the special rehabilitation loan of Tk 200 crore. The interest rate for the 500 crore incentive will be nine percent for male and seven percent for female.
According to Probashi Kallyan Bank Officials, Tk 250 crore has been sanctioned by the government from the allocated Tk 500 crore.
The bank has distributed a total of Tk 246 crore to 10,634 returnees till 21st June, 2021.
A total of 7,572 migrants have taken loans worth Tk 169 crore from Tk 500 crore fund and 3,062 people have received loans worth Tk 77 crore from the special rehabilitation loan of Tk 200 crore.
Shariful Hasan, head of Brac Migration Programme told Bangladesh Post that it is important to ensure that the initiatives that have been taken by the government to help the migrants are delivered to them without any complication. If a certain time limit could be set to let the applicant know about their loan receiving date, it would be convenient for them.
“More initiatives should be taken for the expatriates, including training and counseling. Not just the government but non-governmental organisations should also come forward and work together prioritizing the overall welfare of the expatriates”, he added.
Dr Tasneem Siddiqui, founding Chair of Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU), appreciating the government’s initiative told Bangladesh Post that although government introduced this loan a long time ago comprehending the upcoming crisis period, migrants are unwilling to take this loan.
“RMMRU is currently conducting a research on this issue. The migrants do not have any knowledge or skill of business. The migrants require guidance that could be provided by developing market oriented business model that includes everything in the value chain”.
Regarding their reintegration, she suggested forming an inter-ministry committee where different ministries could work together aiming to create fields for these migrants according to their skills.
Shakirul Islam, Chairman of grassroots migrant rights organisation Ovibashi Karmi Unnayan Program (OKUP), also emphasized on making loan procedure simpler and told Bangladesh Post that the terms and conditions for getting loans should be made simpler.
“One of the conditions for getting loan requires verified documents of migrants by government officers. Most of the migrants don’t have any close acquaintances who would sign those papers for them”, he said.
He suggested including migrants, especially, female migrants under social safety net programmes for their reintegration.
“Support regarding planning on what to do with this loan or how they can develop their business skill should also be provided”, he added.
Most of the expatriates are not aware of this soft loan due to lack of publicity
Shafiqul Islam, who worked as a chef in Qatar returned to Bangladesh three months ago.
“I was unemployed in Qatar for eight months due to the pandemic and had to return permanently and empty-handed, finding no other options to survive there. I have been looking for jobs in the country since I came back, but I hardly found any”, he said.
When asked if he has considered taking the loan from Probashi Kallyan Bank, he said that he doesn’t know about this loan.
Monirul Islam, who returned to the country 14 months ago from Kuwait, said that he has become a burden on his family.
“I have not been able to find a job yet and have run out of all my savings. I’ll have to sit on the street if I can’t manage a way to earn money in the coming days”, he added.