Bangladesh has experienced a significant downturn in its overseas employment sector, with manpower exports dropping by 38.53 percent over a recent six-month period. Official data compiled by the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) highlights a marked contraction in the number of workers securing jobs abroad, underscoring emerging shifts and challenges within the country’s vital labour export market.
Overview of Employment Trends
According to BMET records covering the six-month period from 17 February to 17 August, a total of 333,427 Bangladeshi workers flew abroad for employment. This figure starkly contrasts with the corresponding period of the previous year, during which 542,438 individuals managed to secure overseas jobs. The substantial drop of over 200,000 workers points towards growing hurdles in traditional destination markets and changing international recruitment dynamics.
Destination Breakdown and Comparative Statistics
An analytical look at the data reveals where outbound workers found employment during the current period compared to the previous year, highlighting shifting preferences and market contractions:
| Row | Destination Country | Current Period Workers | Previous Period Workers | Trend / Direction |
| 1 | Saudi Arabia | 169,646 | 361,366 | Sharp Decline |
| 2 | Singapore | 40,398 | 36,251 | Increase |
| 3 | Qatar | 32,127 | 53,135 | Decline |
| 4 | Maldives | 15,969 | 18,237 | Decline |
| 5 | United Arab Emirates | 13,129 | 5,852 | Increase |
| 6 | Kuwait | 13,071 | 24,441 | Decline |
| 7 | Jordan | 8,199 | 5,608 | Increase |
| 8 | Italy | 5,316 | 4,140 | Increase |
| 9 | Portugal | 3,608 | Not Available | New Emerging Market |
| 10 | Iraq | 2,863 | Not Available | New Emerging Market |
Market Concentration and Key Findings
Saudi Arabia remains the single largest destination for Bangladeshi migrant workers, absorbing 169,646 individuals—which accounts for approximately 50.87 percent of all outbound workers during this timeframe. However, a closer examination reveals that migration to the Kingdom has halved compared to the previous year’s figure of 361,366, illustrating the heavy vulnerability of Bangladesh’s labour export framework to policy and quota shifts in a single primary market.
Traditional Gulf destinations such as Qatar and Kuwait have also witnessed notable contractions. Qatar received 32,127 workers down from 53,135, while Kuwait saw numbers drop from 24,441 to 13,071. Conversely, selective markets demonstrated resilience and growth. Nations like Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, and Italy registered positive growth trajectories in welcoming Bangladeshi workforce personnel compared to the preceding year.
Economists and labour sector analysts note that this broad downward trajectory in total manpower export numbers could exert pressure on national remittance inflows, which serve as a critical pillar of Bangladesh’s foreign exchange reserves. Addressing structural bottlenecks, diversifying destination markets, and enhancing professional skill development remain paramount to stabilizing the nation’s overseas employment sector.
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