One third goes abroad illegally

It is indeed unsettling to note that one-third of Bangladeshi migrant workers resort to illegal channels to go abroad. According to a survey conducted by non-governmental organisation Manusher Jonno Foundation, 71 percent of the youth fall prey to irregular migration. Unskilled Bangladeshi workers, who venture abroad to get decent employment in countries that demand their labour, face an array of hardship in the foreign soil as it is. Among them, the most vulnerable are those who make use of illegal channels, making them susceptible to various forms of exploitation and ill-treatment. 

More importantly, migrant workers who are lured by the alluring promises of traffickers often end up stranded in the seas or trapped in slave camps. Of those who make it to the promised land, many do not have any job security and are not even entitled to legal protection. Their mobility is restricted, job uncertain, and, they at times, fall victim to mistreatment, fraud and other forms of abuse in the hands of their foreign employers. In some countries, denial of wages, assault and confinement is rampant. Also, illegal migration can lead to incidents of physical and sexual abuse and torture for ransom.   

The solution lies in creation of an effective recruiting system. We must not forget that it is the high cost of fees in the legal channel that drives the job seekers towards illegal migration. In this background, it is imperative that we make the legal channels accessible so as to dissuade human trafficking.  Timely government intervention, we believe, can keep the fees within the reach of the poor. It is also important to focus on sending skilled workers abroad.