Lecture on Migrant Workers Remittances to Bangladesh

The Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) organised a lecture under its Guest Speakers Programme titled "Migrant Workers' Remittances to Bangladesh: Implications of Global Recession" on 23 April 2009 at the BIISS Auditorium.

The lecture was delivered by Dr Tasneem Siddiqui, Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Dhaka, as the Guest Speaker. Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman, Executive Chairman of the Power and Participation Research Centre (PPRC) and former Adviser to the Caretaker Government of Bangladesh, attended the programme as the Chief Guest. The session was chaired by Major General Sheikh Md Monirul Islam, ndc, psc, Director General of BIISS.

The programme brought together BIISS faculty members, policymakers, academics, researchers, representatives of government agencies, development organisations, international institutions, and experts and practitioners working in the fields of migration, labour economics, and development studies. The lecture provided an important platform for discussing the impact of the global financial recession on migrant workers and Bangladesh's remittance-dependent economy.

In her lecture, Dr Tasneem Siddiqui examined the significant contribution of migrant workers' remittances to Bangladesh's economic growth, poverty reduction, foreign exchange reserves, and overall macroeconomic stability. She highlighted the vital role played by overseas Bangladeshi workers in supporting millions of households and strengthening the country's development trajectory through the steady flow of remittance earnings.

The Guest Speaker analysed the implications of the global economic recession on international labour migration and remittance inflows. She discussed how economic downturns in major destination countries could affect employment opportunities for migrant workers, influence migration patterns, and create uncertainty regarding future remittance flows. At the same time, she observed that the resilience of Bangladeshi migrant workers had helped sustain remittance inflows despite challenging global economic conditions.

Dr Siddiqui further emphasised the need for comprehensive migration policies aimed at protecting migrant workers, diversifying overseas labour markets, enhancing workers' skills through training and certification, reducing migration costs, and strengthening institutional support mechanisms. She also stressed the importance of encouraging the productive utilisation of remittances in investment, entrepreneurship, education, healthcare, and community development to maximise their long-term contribution to national development.

The presentation was followed by an engaging interactive question-and-answer session, during which participants exchanged valuable questions, comments, suggestions, and recommendations on migration governance, labour market diversification, remittance management, and strategies for mitigating the impact of global economic crises on Bangladesh's migrant workforce.

In his remarks, Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman underscored the strategic importance of overseas employment and remittances in Bangladesh's development process. He highlighted the need for evidence-based policymaking, institutional reforms, and enhanced international cooperation to safeguard the interests of migrant workers and strengthen the resilience of Bangladesh's migration sector in an increasingly uncertain global economy.

The programme concluded with a reaffirmation of the importance of migration and remittances as key drivers of Bangladesh's socio-economic development and highlighted the need for coordinated national and international efforts to ensure the welfare of migrant workers while promoting sustainable and inclusive economic growth.