“Study: 63% migrants forced to return due to Covid-19 despite having work visas”, 11 August 2021

Around 63% of the expatriates from Gulf countries were forced to return to Bangladesh despite having proper work permits and visas...

They also lost on average Tk1,79,989 in wages and other entitlements during this time, according to the study, “Addressing systemic challenges of wage theft: Bangladeshi Covid-19 returnees from the gulf”.

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Around 67.7% of respondents among returnee expatriates did not receive due wages regularly after February 2020 in the destination countries while 38.7% experienced reduced wages...

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Among the returnees, 48.6% lost jobs while 63% were forced to return or stay back in Bangladesh at the instructions of their employers. Besides, 28.5% came to Bangladesh on vacation and were left stranded in the country.

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Among the respondents, 48% wanted to re-migrate abroad while 27% wanted to start their own businesses in the country, the study found.

In case of involuntary repatriation, the responsibility should be on the employers to bear the full cost of repatriation, including medical tests, the research recommends for workers who have valid documents, the forum has suggested.