7/16/2020
Migrant workers coming home: To what? | The Daily Star
Bangladesh—an overwhelming majority without their wages, termination benefits or
other dues.
They have returned home to a depressed economy, with little prospects. Thousands
more are expected to come back over the year, with oil prices plummeting and
economies shrinking in the Gulf countries. What exactly is in store for these migrant
workers who were our "golden boys and girls" when they sent remittances bolstering
our GDP? What happens to their family members who depend on their earnings to
survive? What opportunities can we create for them when millions in the formal and
informal sector are struggling to find jobs?
In the first edition of Star Forum, a webinar series organised by The Daily Star,
different stakeholders weighed in on the current challenges and suggested ways
forward.
"Who can we turn to during our troubles, if not our own country?"
Emdadul Hoque, Returnee migrant from Kuwait
After four months of lockdown, I reached Bangladesh on May 13. In our
neighbourhood in Kuwait, we couldn't even get out of our rooms, let alone work. A lot
https://www.thedailystar.net/opinion/news/migrant-workers-coming-home-what-1922477
2/14