Coronavirus pandemic: A big blow to overseas jobs

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The coronavirus pandemic is defined to deal much blow to the country's overseas job market and the remittance flow as a sizable number of Bangladeshi migrants have already lost their jobs or were acquiring low wages amid shutdowns enforced to stem the spread of the virus, say economists and researchers.    

After different businesses were closed as a result of shutdown, the documented personnel are being provided with basic wages, however the undocumented ones are receiving almost nothing. Working hours of several, including in cleaning jobs and the ones at grocery stores, are also slashed.     

Alternatively, a large number of Bangladeshi migrants who came home on leave and the ones who were waiting to fly after securing work visas aren't having the capacity to join work abroad as the destination countries have imposed travel bans in face of the coronavirus outbreak, which, in line with the experts, is now threatening to result in a global recession.

"Remittance is likely to see a significant decrease in a few months," Prof Syeda Rozana Rashid of Dhaka University's international relations told The Daily Star.

There is low pay or no pay for many who are suffering abroad. Besides, a sizable number of Bangladeshis are not able to join work abroad, she said, adding, "That is such as a double-edged sword that the united states is facing."


Remittance from expatriates is among the primary pillars of the Bangladesh economy. About one crore Bangladeshi migrants sent home $18.35 billion in remittance this past year alone.

A lot of the amount comes from countries like Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, USA, UK, Italy and Malaysia.

USA, Italy and UK will be the countries hit hardest by the pandemic. The Gulf and Southeast Parts of asia, though less damaged than Western countries, are also enforcing shutdowns to avoid the transmission of Covid-19.

Speaking with The Daily Star from US, Italy, France, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia, many Bangladeshis said these were staying indoors after their workplaces were closed amid the shutdown.

One migrant, Raju Ahmed, 30, said the supermarket he works at was still open in Kuala Lumpur, but his working hours were halved. "Now I hardly earn Tk 25,000, whereas my previous monthly income was Tk 40,000."

Raju along with five others, including three undocumented workers, lives within an apartment in the Malaysian capital. "Those three have lost their jobs. I am helping one of these as the two others were surviving on their savings."

Rana Ahmed, a Bangladeshi in Lebanon, said he previously to borrow money from his relatives in Faridpur to survive in the coronavirus-hit Western Asian country, which had already been facing an economical crisis.

"We have no idea when the problem will improve. We are passing our days altogether uncertainty," said the 30-year-old who has lost his job.

Hanif Mia from Saudi Arabia said the coronavirus outbreak has thrown a large number of migrants into uncertainty. "Those people who are undocumented are facing more trouble as they haven't any job guarantee or earnings."

With these migrants in big trouble, Bangladesh perhaps has recently began to feel the impact.

In March, Bangladeshi expatriates sent home around $1.29 billion in remittance, which is 12.84 percent significantly less than that of February and the lowest in 15 months, according to Bangladesh Bank data.

DU Prof Syeda Rozana Rashid said the countries which receive foreign personnel had already allocated a substantial portion of their cover the recovery of their economy. This means development activities in those countries will be cut and demand for foreign personnel will drop.

Fahmida Khatun, executive director at the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), said in the 2019-20 fiscal year, when almost every other indicators -- export, private sector investment or foreign direct investments -- were showing slow or negative growth, migrant remittance was the only good news.

Remittance inflow in 2019 stood at $18.35 billion, although it was $15.54 billion the prior year.

"Now with the coronavirus pandemic, things are turning completely different. There is no guarantee when the migrants, who've returned home, can get back to work," Fahmida told The Daily Star.

Even, those who are already in those countries may face job cuts given the looming financial recession, she said. "All together, the economy of Bangladesh will be under great pressure."

Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training (BMET) data shows around 60,000 Bangladeshis go abroad for jobs on a monthly basis. So, if the coronavirus pandemic lingers, queues of those waiting to become listed on overseas jobs is only going to grow bigger, said professionals.

THE IMMEDIATE NEED

Migration researchers and economists say the immediate need now could be to supply healthcare and financial protection to the migrants.

Fahmida Khatun said many migrant employees could already be infected with coronavirus. So, the Bangladesh government must ensure that they get proper healthcare. Anyone who has lost jobs should be ensured financial protection.

"They must survive this crisis period. Following the next few months, the federal government should take up mid-term plans on ensuring their jobs abroad and help them with microloans in productive sectors," she said.

Syeda Rozana Rashid said the vulnerable families, who rely upon migrant remittances, ought to be identified and given social protection by the federal government.

She said thousands of migrant workers, especially in Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries, have already been deported recently, within the countries' plans to reshape their economical policy prioritising local workforce.

Now that this is a global crisis, Bangladesh and other labour-sending countries can and should negotiate with the labour-receiving countries so that they don't really deport the undocumented migrants, but regularise them as an indicator of global solidarity, she said.

Colombo Process, a platform of the Asian labour-sending countries, and Abu Dhabi Dialogue, a platform of the labour-receiving countries, should get together and find out ways that are advantageous for all, Rozana Rashid said.

The expert also said imposition of health emergency proved that the developed countries would focus more on bettering their healthcare system. "It should take more workforces in medical sector."

"We have mostly semi-skilled and low-skilled people going abroad to work. We can now focus on the skills training on nursing, health technology, management, medicine and hospitality within our migration strategy," she added.

Source: https://www.thedailystar.net

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