Key Findings and Recommendations
❶ Nearly half (48%) of respondents said returned
migrants are being treated worse or much worse by
community members and/or community leaders, and in
some cases by friends or family. Returned migrants who
have less access to support services and who are
experiencing verbal - and even physical violence - are
more vulnerable to exploitation. They may also consider
riskier migration options to return abroad and avoid
further mistreatment. Awareness campaigns targeting
attitudes towards returned migrants should be
developed by those working at community level to curb
the mistreatment returned migrants are facing.
❷ A staggering 86% of returned migrants interviewed
reported receiving no support services since returning to
Bangladesh. Most respondents (93%) reported not
having enough income to support themselves, and twothirds said they didn’t have enough food to eat every
day. Cash assistance programs and immediate need
packages such as food and hygiene items should be
prioritized as ways to assist this population.
❸ Most respondents (65%) plan to re-migrate for work
and about half of those said they would ask for
information from a recruitment agency when deciding
whether it is safe and possible to re-migrate. Migrant
assistance organizations and the Bangladesh Ministry of
Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment should
work closely with recruitment agencies to ensure correct
information will be provided to migrant workers.
Information such as up-to-date travel restrictions and
guidelines around possible Covid-19 quarantines,
workers’ rights briefings, and clear guidelines on what
fees migrant workers should and should not be
responsible for when migrating for work is
recommended to provide recruitment agencies.
❹ Seventy-two percent of those planning to re-migrate
said they would return to their previous job. Similar to
the previous recommendation, migrant assistance
organizations and worker rights groups in both
Bangladesh and destination countries could use this
opportunity to reach employers of returned migrants via
recruitment agencies to advocate for safe and hygienic
conditions once workers return. Guidelines on fees
employers are legally responsible to pay when workers
make the return journey to their jobsites should also be
given to employers.
❺ Nearly all respondents (94%) had received
prevention information on Covid-19 and could list
several ways to protect themselves, but 84% said they
needed more information. Most would look to
government sources - including health centers, for
trusted information, as well as Facebook and television
news programs. Targeted messaging campaigns that
provide protection information, Covid-19 hotline
number(s), and up-to-date travel restrictions should
continue to be a priority for humanitarian organizations
and the Bangladesh Ministry of Health.