Although remittances have increased compared to the previous year, overseas employment continues to show stagnation. Major markets such as Malaysia and Oman remain closed, while instability in the United Arab Emirates affects the overall flow of foreign employment.
According to the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET), 1,016,064 people went abroad for employment during the 2024–2025 fiscal year, almost identical to the previous year's 1,011,969.
In July, the first month of the current 2025–2026 fiscal year, 73,040 workers left the country, slightly higher than the 71,441 who left during the same month last year, when the country was shaken by protests and unrest.
Meanwhile, remittances rose by 27 percent compared to the previous year. Bangladesh Bank data shows that in the 2024–2025 fiscal year, remittances amounted to USD 30.3288 billion, up from USD 23.9122 billion in the previous year.
During 2024–2025, the highest number of workers went to Saudi Arabia, totaling 739,571. Other destinations included Qatar (82,338), Kuwait (32,995), Singapore (62,986), the United Arab Emirates (17,729), Jordan (12,945), and the Maldives (12,453).
Remittances also reflected these labour flows, with Saudi Arabia sending the highest amount of USD 4.2636 billion. The UAE ranked second with USD 2.3838 billion, followed by Malaysia with USD 2.695 billion, Oman with USD 1.3979 billion, Kuwait with USD 1.3208 billion, and Qatar with USD 1.0562 billion.
Despite the consistent outflow of 1 to 1.1 million workers yearly, remittance earnings have not risen proportionately, remaining capped at USD 25–26 billion annually. While each year’s outflow adds to the migrant workforce abroad, only a fraction returns home. In theory, this should boost remittance inflows, but the data suggests otherwise, with only a modest increase in 2024–2025 compared to previous years.
Shariful Hasan, head of BRAC’s Migration Programme, noted: “Over the past decade, nearly 10 million Bangladeshis have gone abroad, but remittances have not increased in line with that. The outflow of workers has grown, but earnings have not kept pace.”
In Saudi Arabia alone, around four million workers have gone in the past six years. Yet, while such numbers surged, remittance inflows from the kingdom fell by USD 2 billion in the two years following 2021–2022.
Hasan added that Bangladesh should prioritise sending skilled workers rather than large numbers of unskilled labourers. “Most of the workers we send are unskilled. They spend the most and earn the least. The average income of our migrants is very low. Instead of sending people en masse, we need to focus on skilled migration.”
Impact of Trump’s policies on Bangladeshi remittances
US policies have also hit Bangladeshi remittances since Donald Trump took office. Although the United States is not among the top 50 labour-receiving countries, it has long been a key source of remittances. For several years, the US ranked second in remittance inflows and at one point even topped the list. However, it has now dropped to fifth place.
Despite not being among the top 20 destinations for Bangladeshi workers, the UK ranked third in remittance inflows in 2024–2025, contributing USD 2.8255 billion. Italy sent USD 1.6896 billion, while Japan, despite employing relatively fewer Bangladeshi workers, also generated significant remittance inflows.
Remittances from the US and Italy and other European sources have risen. Hasan attributed this to a stronger dollar, easier formal banking channels, and alignment of official exchange rates with open-market prices.
He added, however, that remittances from the US have fallen from second place to fifth, partly due to job losses and immigration crackdowns during the Trump administration. “Many Bangladeshis lost their jobs and were detained. This directly reduced remittance inflows,” he told BanglaNews.
Unsustainable labour markets
Bangladesh’s overseas employment market remains unsustainable, as it relies heavily on a small number of countries and largely exports unskilled labour. This dependency leaves remittance inflows vulnerable to sudden political, economic, or policy shifts in those destinations.
In 2024–2025, expected employment figures were not achieved due to the suspension of opportunities in Malaysia and Oman. Alternative markets have yet to be fully developed, leaving the sector volatile.
Former World Bank lead economist Dr Zahid Hasan told BanglaNews that restrictive policies in Saudi Arabia had caused disruptions. “They imposed certain conditions, tightening recruitment in February and March, although some restrictions were eased in June. Saudi Arabia has stated that it will only import workers if it cannot meet demand domestically. Malaysia’s policy is unstable as well — opening recruitment at times and suspending it at others.”
Hasan further explained that while Saudi Arabia insisted on recruiting locally available unskilled workers, the reality is that such labour is not acceptable domestically. “Saudi workers will not take up unskilled jobs. They still need such labour, and they will recruit from Sri Lanka, India, or Bangladesh — but workers must come from somewhere.”
Remittance losses through informal channels
Remittance inflows have remained between USD 18 and 23 billion for several years, with occasional abnormal spikes. For instance, in 2020–2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, inflows rose to nearly USD 25 billion as expatriates returned home with savings. Again in 2024–2025, remittances climbed to USD 30 billion due to stricter regulations in the banking sector and trade.
Hasan cautioned that money sent through informal channels, such as hundi, never enters Bangladesh. “This money circulates abroad. We send workers to earn dollars for the country, but if that money never arrives, migration becomes meaningless,” he said.
He added that reforms are needed to strengthen governance in the migration sector. “We need to send more skilled workers. The state has not done enough for migrants despite their massive contribution, particularly since the unrest in July and August. The sector requires fundamental reform.”
Addressing the challenges
Experts stress that migrants must avoid irregular pathways in addition to sending skilled workers. Dr Zahid Hasan pointed out that many Bangladeshis go abroad legally but overstay or lapse into irregular status once there, damaging the country’s reputation and leading to deportations and recruitment bans.
He emphasised that embassies should play a more active role in supporting migrants, particularly with visa and passport renewals. “We hear complaints that officials are unresponsive, dismissive, and even obstructive when approached by migrants. Renewing a passport can be unnecessarily difficult,” he said.
Hasan called for dedicated desks for Bangladeshi migrants in key markets such as Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, and the UAE to assist with documentation and provide accessible support. “Embassies must become migrant-friendly to protect the interests of our workers abroad,” he added.
SMS/
