migration and sixth five years plan in bd.pdf

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Mainstreaming Migration into National Development Strategies

Migration and

Sixth Five Years Plan

in angladesh


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Migration and Sixth Five Years Plan in Bangladesh: Reflection

and Gaps

in

Development

Policies

and

Programmes

Md.

Mokhlesur

RahmanDevelopment Researcher

[email protected]

September 22, 2013


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Page 1 of 37

ABSTRACT

Population migration is not a recent phenomenon in developing countries, but recently it has

gained significant policy attention. In Bangladesh, migration concerns have been incorporated

in different plans and polices. To identify how development plan and policies of Bangladesh

have incorporated migration concerns, this study reviews the Sixth Five Year Plan (SFYP) 2011‐

2015, National Skills Development Policy‐ 2011, Perspective Plan 2011‐ 2021 (Vision 2021) and

Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of Bangladesh. These policies and plans have already

incorporated

some

directive

initiatives

which

are

positive

signs

and

reflect

the

willingness

of

key stakeholders to place migration as a priority national agenda. However, most plans and

policies are not guided by holistic migration plans and activities rather they are dominated by

ad‐hoc based activities and priorities. Hence, the study identifies that a comprehensive

migration‐mainstreaming approach is missing which should include (but not limit to) skills

development through improved education (including technical education) system, health

initiatives targeting migrants and their families, and awareness building among communities for

use of

regular

migration

channels

along

with

many

others.

The

approach

should

also

articulate

methods for easy remittance flows and good investment opportunities in the home country

which can play a significant role in development. The study concludes that the issues, concerns,

challenges defined in the Overseas Employment Policy 2013 must have strong presence in the

upcoming Seventh Five Year Plan.


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Table of Contents

ABSTRACT............................................................................................................................................ 1

SECTION ONE: INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................ 3

1.1 Background .....................................................................................................................................3

1.2 Broad Objective: ..................................................................................................................... ........ 6

1.3 Broad Research Question: ..............................................................................................................6

1.4 Methodology (data & methods, process and analysis) .................................................................. 7

1.4.1 Data & Methods:..........................................................................................................................7

1.4.2 Process: ........................................................................................................................................7

1.4.3 Analysis ........................................................................................................................................ 7

1.5.

List

of

Policies,

Plans

and

Other

Documents

Reviewed ................................................................. 7

1.6 Analytical Framework: .................................................................................................................... 8

SECTION TWO: MIGRATION and DEVELOPMENT ‐ Global to Local Perspective ................................... 10

2.1 Migration Policy Context: Global Perspective ..............................................................................10

2.2 Migration Policy Context: Bangladesh Perspective ......................................................................12

SECTION THREE: FINDINGS................................................................................................................. 14

3.1 National Skills Development Policy ‐2011: ................................................................................... 14

3.2 SFYP & Vision 2021: ......................................................................................................................16

3.3 Scope of Budgeting for Skills Development for Overseas Employment: Tale of Targets and

Performances in different Plans of Bangladesh.................................................................................. 19

3.4 Resources Allocation, Overseas Employment and Remittances: .................................................22

3.5 Plan, Policies and Migration: Ambition versus Feasibility ............................................................25

3.6. Moving Ahead: Overseas Employment Policy 2013 ....................................................................26

SECTION FOUR: ANALYSIS , DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION............................................................... 28

4.1 Analysis: ........................................................................................................................................28

4.2 Discussions:...................................................................................................................................30

4.3 Recommendations: .......................................................................................................................31

4.4 Conclusion...............................................................................................................................34


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SECTION ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background

In the developing countries, population migration is not a recent phenomenon. In the early 21st

century, it became top policy agenda in many developed and developing countries. Considering

role of migration in development, the critical objective is to maximize the benefits and minimize

the risks of migration for migrants and their families. Policy initiatives can define a

comprehensive process for migration that promotes development and reduces poverty in

developing countries as well as how migrants themselves may benefit (Skeldon, 2005: 15).

Migration, Remittances

&

Poverty

Alleviation

in

Bangladesh:

Planning

and

Policy

Context

In a recent study in Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Vietnam and China, data shows that in

Bangladesh, some of 40% of rural households send adult members to seek work in towns. In

some areas, more than 80% of households’ income was derived from outside village. (ibid: 21).

Buchenau (2008) in a recent study on ‘Migration, Remittances and Poverty Alleviation in

Bangladesh’ reports that in Bangladesh after 1970s, labour migration has become a strategy for

household survival for many families. For migrants as well as for their families, migration carries

high costs and risks, particularly because a migrant’s family loses an important member of the

household for an extended period of time. As data suggests each year thousands of

Bangladeshis migrate to the Middle East and South Asia to work. According to the Bangladesh’s

Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET), 377,591 people left the country in

2006, an increase of 50% over the previous year, and this number has increased most years

after 2007. By 2012 the number of overseas workers reached 607, 798 (where UAE is the

highest as an individual country of destination and May as the month the highest number of


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people migrated). Similarly, January to June 2013, total number of overseas workers is 208,340

with 79,858 people (34%) migrating to Oman1.

In Bangladesh,

the

potential

contribution

of

remittances

from

migrants

has

been

acknowledged

by many national policies and planning. For example, the Sixth Five Year Plan (FY 2011‐2015)

endorsed that remittances sent by overseas workers to their families has a significant

development role in Bangladesh. The Plan also proscribes that the overseas employment

strategy should be strengthened. It further added that while the current overseas employment

strategy focuses on sending low skilled manpower; the new strategy will focus on sending

semi‐skilled and skilled manpower to existing as well as new destinations. The Plan also

indicated that

programs

will

be

undertaken

to

improve

the

skills

base

of

the

people

who

wish

to

migrate2.

Similarly some poverty reduction strategy papers refer to the benefits of remittance from

migration, however many others portray migration negatively equating it with human

trafficking, loss of skilled professionals, health related problems and the spread of disease,

increased poverty or criminality. In establishing the linkage of migration with development,

policy makers

tend

towards

law

enforcement

activities

such

as

curbing

irregular

migration

and

trafficking, strengthening immigration and customs services rather than focusing on harnessing

beneficial effects like increased skills and knowledge as well as increased household income

levels from remittances. When the benefits of migration are recognized by critics, the focus

tends to be limited to remittances and on other economic effects.3

1 http://www.bmet.org.bd/BMET/resources/statistics/18.jpg, retrieved on August 19, 2013.

2 GED, 2011, FFYP 2011‐2015,Pp‐4

3 Global Migration Group, Pp‐17, “ Mainstreaming Migration into development Planning: A handbook for Policy

Makers and Practitioners”


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Several migration related concerns have not been featured comprehensively in the

development plans (ibid). These are:

• Lack of data and indicators on migration is a major problem in many countries.

• Lack of capacity and expertise and/or financial resources to understand and address the

multiple dimensions of migration, beyond economic dimensions.

• Migration management is fragmented portfolio, often falling under responsibilities of

several Government departments.

• Migration may not feature prominently in donor priorities resulting in funding

difficulties.

• Migration is a complex cross‐cutting issue, both politically and conceptually challenging,

which makes

it

difficult

to

formulate

a coherent

and

common

position.

• Lack of cooperation and dialogue between countries of origin and destination on

migration and development issues.

• Migration is politically sensitive issue often leading to border management and control

rather development. Therefore, focus always goes to how border has been managed

and controlled. The potential of migration for development does not get adequate

political attention rather often it gets misinterpreted.

Recent literature on migration suggests that despite the potential advantage of migration, it

has rarely been acknowledged in development planning tools. Even if links are made between

migration and development, it is surprisingly confined to the conceptual level rather than the

practical level. Sometimes even if it focuses on them it limits on international remittances to

developing countries rather focusing on the inter‐linkages between migration and

development. These financial flows include: money sent by individual migrant workers and

other

members

of

diaspora

communities

to

families/friends

residing

in

countries

of

origin;

financial investments in housing or business; and economic savings in banks in the country of


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origin. Another form of remittances are charitable donations made by individual

migrants/migrant associations for certain aid projects in the country of origin. 4

1.2 Broad

Objective:

The study attempts to analyze the current reflection and gaps of migration issues in the SFYP

and assess gaps on migration issues in existing development policies and programmes.

Specific Objectives:

a) To identify how migration issues have been reflected into SFYP of Bangladesh.

b) To identify what are the gaps in the SFYP in regard to migration concerns.

c) To find the extent of migration issues are taken into account in the development

policies of Bangladesh.

d) To what extent migration issues are taken into account into development programmes

of Bangladesh.

1.3 Broad Research Question:

To what extent migrations concerns are been reflected in the SFYP, development policies

and programmes?

Specific Research Questions:

a) To identify how migration issues have been reflected into SFYP of Bangladesh?

b) To identify what are the gaps in the SFYP in regard to migration concerns?

c) To find the extent of migration issues are taken into account in the development

policies of Bangladesh

d)

To what extent migration issues are taken into account into development programmes

of Bangladesh

4 Higher Institute of Labour Studies, KU Leuven, Belgium) . The position Paper “Remittances and Development” ,

Session Five A. URL…….


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1.4 Methodology (data & methods, process and analysis)

The research is qualitative in nature based on secondary data and information. Through a

systematic search, data and information have been compiled and the situation analyzed, to

answer the

research

questions

that

have

been

set.

1.4.1 Data & Methods:

The study uses published information related to migration. Both printed and online resources

have been utilized. Moreover, it uses data generated by International Organization for

Migration (IOM), Global Migration Group and the Government of Bangladesh (Sixth Five Year

Plan and Perspective Plan 2011‐2021 in particular).

1.4.2 Process:

After identifying some common and essential methods of policy analysis, the study goes

through the SFYP step by step. After identifying how migration issues have been placed into the

Plan, gaps and challenges are identified.

1.4.3 Analysis

Regarding method of data collection and analysis, Discourse Analysis (policy narratives in

particular)

and

thematic

content

analysis

methods

and

approaches

has

been

applied.

In

this

study, the discourse analysis method has been used to identify how development discourse has

been used in variety of ways, like to mean talking rather than doing, diversionary and deceptive

language; a perspective rather than descriptive stance (Gasper and Apthorpe 1996). This study

analyzes how discourses around development policies and programmes contribute migration

concerns in the context of Bangladesh.

1.5. List

of

Policies,

Plans

and

Other

Documents

Reviewed

• Sixth Five Year Plan (SFYP) 2011‐2015

• National Skills Development Policy ‐2011

• Perspective Plan 2011‐2021 (Vision 2021)


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• Overseas Employment Policy 2006 and

• Overseas Employment Policy 2013 ( Final Draft)5 and

• Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

1.6 Analytical Framework:

In general, development planning goes through some basic stages which includes situation

assessment and analysis, identification of strategic goals and priorities, action/programme

planning, funding and capacity development, implementation and monitoring and evaluation.

This cycle can be depicted by the following diagram:

Stages of Development Planning

The study applies an analytical framework developed by Global Migration Group (Pg 22). The

framework comprises of six essential elements which are prerequisite for mainstreaming

migration

in

development.

Therefore,

any

mainstreaming

endeavor

should

start

by

looking

at

the ground work in the following areas:

5 As of September 09, 2013. Accessed on September 15, 2013 through

http://probashi.gov.bd/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=93&Itemid=29


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I. Strong political support at high level: This strong political will is critically important to

move ‘Migration for Development’ agenda forward.

II. National ownership: The Government needs to be lead actor in the mainstreaming

process and government priorities must be prevailed over the priorities of other actors.

III. Early involvement of key stakeholder: Key stakeholders such migrant community

groups, diaspora groups, civil society, academics, employers’ associations and

development partners. The purpose is to make sure that all stakeholders are committed

partners in the mainstreaming process. Active engagement of stakeholders can offer

many things, like different perspectives, new information and data, political and moral

support and funding support. In ensuring successful mainstreaming, all these above

resources and actors need to be brought together.

IV. A shared understanding of objectives: Common understanding the objective is pivotal

to avoid divergent agendas being pursued. For establishing and maintaining an unified

agenda, a clear vision, transparency and regular dialogue among different stakeholders

are essential.

V. Broad‐based participation based on clear roles and responsibilities: For ensuring that

during

the

process

of

mainstreaming,

it

is

neither

monopolized

by

a

single

government

institution nor confined to few individuals, rather a broad spectrum of participation is

necessary. Therefore, to the process will be more successful if roles and responsibilities

of different actors are defined.

VI. Keep to timing: In ensuring national level ownership, sufficient time should be provided

for reflection and consensus‐building. It needs to be realistic regarding timing at the

start of the process about how much time will be required for specific tasks. While

timing

has

been

agreed

upon,

it

would

be

important

to

make

sure

schedule

is

maintained accordingly.

The whole analysis of this report relates to the above six points.


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SECTION TWO: MIGRATION and DEVELOPMENT ‐ Global to Local

Perspective

2.1 Migration

Policy

Context:

Global

Perspective

Recent literature on international migration suggests that emigration can influence economic

development of sending country in four interrelated ways. Firstly, international migration

allows for more efficient matching of international supplies and demand for labour. It helps to

improve efficiency internally. Secondly, emigrants tighten the conditions that characterize

sending country labour markets (even often at the regional level, not the national level) which

ultimately helps to strengthen bargaining position of the labour that remain. Thirdly, migrant

labour

provides

a

large

and

dependable

source

of

development

capital

in

the

form

of

remittances. Finally, returning migrants bring capital, skills and access to markets that benefit

the sending economy. However, the literatures also stress on lack of systematic analysis of the

effect of migration on sovereignty may be one of the reasons that open borders are associated

with chaos, political labeling and the demise of the developed world’s welfare states. It is also

mentioned that the little work which has been done in recent years is not directly related to

evaluating the political consequences of international migration. Rather, the work tends to

focus

on

how

host

countries

control

migration

flows

and

evaluate

their

effectiveness.

In

general, there are studies that consider migrants as surplus pool of labour which is politically

exploitative in nature (Moses, 2006:78‐80).

In line with the above four points, historic evidence seems to support that migration is an

important explanatory factors of economic growth in both the new and old worlds,

international migration can generate prosperity in both sending and receiving countries. The

skills, capital and technology that accompany these labour flows also have a significant impact

on economic growth rates in both type of the country (ibid).


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In a study titled ‘Migration between Europe and South Asia: Impacts on development’ by

Institute of Public Policy Research UK found that “Migration from South Asia to Europe has been

and continues to be an important phenomenon. There are established South Asian communities

in most European countries and these are being added to by increasingly diverse flows of

people: asylum seekers, family members, highly ‐skilled professionals and even a new wave of

temporary, low ‐skilled workers. It must be noted that, though important, South Asia to Europe

flows are less significant than other South Asian migration flows. The scale of internal migration

(especially within India), regional migration (e.g. from Bangladesh and Nepal into India), labour

migration to the Persian Gulf, and international migration to the North America are all likely to

be greater than contemporary flows to Europe. That said, given important historical links, the

likelihood of greater demand for migrants into Europe in the future, deep diasporic linkages

with South Asian countries, and the interest shown by European states in this area, migration

between South Asia and Europe has the potential to have important impacts on development in

sending countries.”6

In another study by Bryan & Wets stated that “[o]fficially recorded remittances have become

the second highest source of external funding for developing countries–ahead of Official

Development Assistance (ODA), but following Foreign Direct Investments (Ratha 2005). Not

surprisingly,

policy

makers

and

academicians

have

been

looking

at

remittances

as

a

development tool for developing countries. An important difference between remittances and

ODA is the private nature of the former financial flow. The majority of remittances are sent by

individuals to their families in the country of origin. Furthermore, as the poorest members of

society often lack the financial means to migrate abroad, they are less likely to have family

members abroad who would send remittances. International migration is a costly venture (see,

for instance, De Bruyn & Kuddus 2005). Nevertheless, remittances can have different levels of

6 retrieved on June 28, 2013 through

http://www.migrationdevelopment.org/fileadmin/data/conference/background_papers/en_Session_3_B_South_

Asia‐‐Europe_final_01.pdf


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both positive and negative impact on the development of the country of origin. Table 1 lists a

number of the most cited conclusions in research on this topic.

In the same study they mentioned some possible positive and negative impacts of remittances

on development

of

any

country.

It

briefly

illustrates

that

remittance

has

impacts

(both

positive

and negative) at micro‐economic level, community & regional level and household level.

Table 01: Impacts of Remittances

Area of

Impact

Positive impacts of remittances Negative impact of remittances

M a

c r o

‐

e c o n

o m i c

l e v e l

• Strengthening balance of payment by

provision of foreign exchange

•

Remittances

are

stable

and

counter‐

cyclical

• Deterioration of balance of trade

by stimulation of import and

appreciation of local currency

• Deterioration of the ‘social

balance’

H o u s e h o l d l e v e l

• Allowing families to meet basic needs

• Opening up of new opportunities for

investing in children’s education, health

care etc.

• Loosening of constraints in family budget

to invest in business or savings

• Emergency resources

•

Social security

resources

base

• Dependency on remittances and

neglect of local productive

activities by families

• Hardly used for productive

investment

C o m m u n i t

y a n d

r e g i o n a l

l e v e l

• Boost of local economy

• Financing local development projects

• Increase inequality between

families who receive remittances

and those who do not

•

Inflation

2.2 Migration Policy Context: Bangladesh Perspective

In a study on internal migration and development, it has been cited that the landscape of

Bangladesh has changed significantly. Migration has been accepted as a major component of

people’s livelihood. However, the linkages between internal migration and development are

not upfront. There is lack of data on the migration and poverty interface; the study argues that

government policies can influence impact of migration on development and poverty reduction

(Afsar, 2005). The study concludes that in Bangladesh like many other developing countries, the


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households of internal migrants in rural areas use remittances mainly for consumption. The

consumption expenditure alone constitutes between 80% and 90% of the remittances use. In a

country context like Bangladesh where half of rural households live below the poverty line,

consumption can be viewed as consistant with the basic needs of development since without

this remittance, the situation of migrant families would be worse. It is commonly argued that

increased consumption expenditure by migrant household can accelerate investment, which

may create an income multiplier in migrant‐source economies (Taylor, 1990 cited in Afsar,

2005).

In a study by IOM (2010), it emphasizes that Bangladesh experiences many types of human

mobility, both internal and international. Within the international migration, there are three

distinct trends:

emigration

for

settlement

to

Europe,

Australia

and

North

America;

contract

labour migration to Middle‐Eastern and South Asian countries; and the movement of people to

the border areas such as India.

The Global Migration Origin Database estimates that 6,832,522 Bangladeshis live abroad,

representing less than 5% of the total population and less than 10% of the total labour force.

Similarly, the Bangladesh Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) estimates

that 5.8 million Bangladeshi workers are abroad, 31% of which are in Saudi Arabia and 24% in

the UAE (IOM; 2010:2). The study also outlines the gendered consequences of recipient’s

annual household income. It identifies that gender plays an important role in household

income, remittances and dependency level. It further informs female migrants earn less and

therefore send less money back to home than their male counterparts. It is also noted that

families with female recipients have higher local household incomes and they are less

dependent on remittances. However, there is no policy initiative and analysis to unravel the

impact this differential has on development (ibid ).


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SECTION THREE: FINDINGS

This part of the report has five sub‐sections. The first section deals with how migration issues

have been reflected in the National Skills Development Policy of 2011. The second section

focused on how migration issues are incorporated in the SFYP and Perspective Plan 2011‐2021

(Vision 2021). In the third section, the growth targets and performance in different plans of

Bangladesh are analyzed. The fourth section explains how government resources have been

allocated, overseas employment levels and remittances received from 1999 to 2009 are briefly

explained. The fifth and final section analyzes, in regard to ‘ambition versus feasibility,’ the

migrations issues that are reflected in plans and policies of Bangladesh.

3.1 National Skills Development Policy ‐2011:

Different reports have made clear recommendations that the skills of migrant workers should

be improved before leaving for overseas employment. A majority of Bangladeshi migrant

workers do manual work with low pay and low status. Thus, it is important to review the

National Skills Development Policy 2011 to point out how migration and the skills development

concerns of migrating laborers have been addressed.

In the National Skills Development Policy 2011, there is a specific focus on skills development

for overseas employment.

I. The Policy acknowledges that increasing remittances from expatriate workers is

dependent on improved skills development in Bangladesh. In order to improve skills

development towards overseas employment, the new skills development system will

include the following:

•

Assess and

respond

to

the

demand

for

different

categories

of

skilled

workers

in

major overseas markets;

• Develop a coordinated and flexible recruitment and training strategy to service

that demand;


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• Develop a national qualification system against which skills certification of an

international standard can be made and communicated to overseas employees

and international recruitment agencies;

• Improve the capacity of training providers to deliver skills to the standard

required by overseas employers;

• Improve the regulations and quality assurance of training providers delivering

pre‐departure training;

• Improve the employment outcomes of those who undertake skills training for

overseas employment; and

• Engage with returning migrants to assess and certify higher skills gained overseas.

II.

Initiatives to

strengthen

skills

development

for

migrant

workers

will

be

improved

along

with other governmental efforts to reform the education and training system in

Bangladesh.

III. All training and trade testing centers targeting overseas workers will be required to

register with BTEB(Bangladesh Technical Education Board) so that skills assessment and

certification in these centers follows NTVQF (National Technical and Vocational

Qualification Framework) based on national competency standards, or where possible,

competency standards

recognized

in

the

countries

of

employment.

IV. Nationally recognized qualifications will be available to expatriate workers. Over time,

all migrating workers will be required to have qualifications from the NTVQF, obtained

either through occupation‐specific courses or through a Recognition of Prior Learning

(RPL) process at BTEB registered testing centers. To increase the number of qualified

expatriate workers, RPL will be offered in a systematic way.

V. Overseas employers and governments will be made aware of the reforms to skills

training

in

Bangladesh

so

that

overseas

employers

can

more

easily

assess

the

differences between skilled and less skilled workers and so that expatriate workers gain

the recognition and remuneration they deserve in overseas markets.

VI. There is a recognized need to provide comprehensive pre‐departure orientation training

for migrant workers and to establish special government migration support services for


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safe migration and improved livelihoods. This will ensure that in addition to trade skills,

expatriate workers are adequately prepared for overseas by having a minimum level of

host‐country language skills, so that they are better protected by being able to

understand and participate in host‐country opportunities.

VII. Career and vocational guidance that provide details on key overseas labour markets and

occupations in demand will be made available to participants.

VIII. A system of ‘ladderisation’ should be established similar to that in place in other Asia

countries. Under the scheme, returning workers will be offered an opportunity for skills

testing, skills upgrading and skills certification at a higher level before returning abroad.

The work, learn, train and certify process can be repeated in several cycles until after

some years the skilled workers will be able to move into supervisory positions. For this

to occur, modularized competency based training should be delivered that leads to

certification under the NTVQF.

IX. To increase resources available for skills training of expatriate workers, the Skills

Development Fund for Expatriate Workers announced in the Budget of the respective

year will be made operational.

X. Under guidance from the NSDC (National Skills Development Council), BMET will take

responsibility

for

ensuring

a

more

coordinated

approach

to

skills

development

for

expatriate workers. This more coordinated approach will include an assessment of how

existing training infrastructure can best be utilized to service the overseas demand for

skilled workers.

XI. The NSDC through BMET will also develop a strategy to increase the participation of

women in skills development for overseas employment.

XII. Aspirant overseas workers to be trained on skills under public‐private partnership

programmes.

3.2 SFYP & Vision 2021:

While having made satisfactory progress in poverty reduction activities (particularly toward

reaching Millennium Development Goals), the Government of Bangladesh recognizes that


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Bangladesh remains a low income developing country. Around 47 million people are living

below the poverty line. Most of the labour force of the country is engaged in informal low

productivity and low income jobs. The poor are severely disadvantaged, and they do not have

access to resources and basic services such as education, healthcare, or water and sanitation. In

this context, Government of Bangladesh has recently devised the Perspective Plan covering

2010 to 2021 aimed at implementing its Vision 2021 goals. As described in the ‘Outline

Perspective Plan of Bangladesh 2010 to 2021 (making Vision a Reality), the keys issues of the

Vision 2021 associated with this Plan are:

“[t]he development perspective envisages to achieving, in the coming days, a prosperous

progressive nation in which food and energy security shall prevail with drastic reduction of

poverty and a low level unemployment. The perspective also includes great strides in human

development including health and nutrition, effective population control, progress in all

levels of education, primary, secondary and tertiary in addition to commendable

improvement in science and technology along with great achievement in ICT. Infrastructure

development will improve integrated multi ‐modal transport encompassing railways, roads

and inland water transport having connectivity with our neighbors. In other words, the

development perspective implies the simultaneous fulfillment of economic and social rights

of the people alongside civil and political rights. For this to happen strong links between

economic growth

in

the

one

hand,

and

expansion

of

employment

opportunities,

reduction

of

poverty, expansion of democracy and empowerment, consolidation of cultural identity and

protection of environment with its freshness for the next generation on the other will be

established.” 7

The Perspective Plan has 12 specific development goals which broadly define all important

concerns related to becoming a middle income country in 2021. Among these 12 goals, four are

directly associated with migration concerns. These are as follows:

• Promoting good governance and curbing corruption

• Promoting sustainable human development

7 Ref. SFYP 2011‐2015, Pp19


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• Addressing globalization and regional cooperation challenges

• Building digital Bangladesh

If the above four development goals are made functional, then to a great extent these will

facilitate a safe migration and contribute to the economic and overall development of the

country.

In addition, the Perspective Plan also identifies strategic directions and provides a broad

outlines for the course of action to make the Vision 2021 a reality. This outline leaves

considerable space for the SFYP (2011‐2015) and Seventh Five Year Plan (2016‐2020) to work

out functional details of how the country should move forward. A number of core targets have

been

identified

to

monitor

progress

of

the

SFYP.

These

core

targets

are

in

line

with

the

vision

and objective of the Perspective Plan. The core targets set for monitoring fall under seven

broad categories:

a) Income and poverty

b) Human resource development

c) Water and sanitation

d) Energy and infrastructure

e)

Gender equality

and

empowerment

f) Environment sustainability

g) Information and communication technology (ICT)

Under the “Income and Poverty” category, there are five specific targets which are as follows:

a. Attaining average real GDP growth rate of 7.3% per year over the planned period

b.

Reduction

in

the

head‐

count

poverty

ration

by

about

10

percentage

points

c. Creating good jobs for the large pool of under‐employed and new labour force

entrants by increasing the share of employment in the industrial sector from 17

percent to 25 percent

d. Increasing the contribution of factor productivity in economic growth to 10 percent


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e. Overseas employment of skilled labour to be increased from 35% to 50%.

3.3 Scope of Budgeting for Skills Development for Overseas Employment: Tale of

Targets and Performances in different Plans of Bangladesh

Implementation of the National Skills Development Policy 2011 and other migration initiatives

to increase overseas employment of skilled labour requires significant budget allocation.

Adequate budget allocation will only be possible if targeted growth is achieved accordingly.

Thus, it is important to revisit the growth targets and analyze with previous performance to

unveil how likely to achieve those targets and resolve or develop migrations issues and

concerns.

Thus, in this part of the report, different plans and associated planned and actual growth are

analyzed.

Table 01: Growth Performance of Bangladesh in the Five Years Plans8

Annual Average Growth SL Plan Period

Target

(%)

Actual

(%)

Gap (%)

1. First Five Year Plan (FY73‐ 78) 5.5 4.0 1.5

2. Two Year Plan (FY78‐ FY80) 5.6 3.5 2.1

3. Second Five Year Plan (FY80‐ FY85) 5.4 3.8 1.6

4. Third Five Year Plan (FY85‐ FY90) 5.4 3.8 1.6

5. Fourth Five Year Plan (FY90‐ FY95) 5.0 4.2 0.8

6. Fifth Five Year Plan (FY97‐2002) 7.0 5.1 1.9

Average 5.65 4.1 1.58

The above table (01) illustrates that overall (average of 6 plans; till FFYP) growth target was

5.65% where actual achievement is 4.1%, this indicates an average gap 1.58%.

8 The table has been reproduced from the original table of BBS (cited in SFYP,Pp12).


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Even there is no specific trend in gap of annual average growth; however in actual growth, it

is seen that after 1978 (after the phase of First Five Year Plan), the annual growth has been

steadily increasing, as presented below in Chart 1.

In the above, it is shown that only FY1997‐2002 has achieved more than 5% GDP growth.

Moreover, the chart also illustrates that during 1980‐90, the annual growth was stagnant.

Table 02: SFYP and Targets

Targets 2005‐2010 SFYP 2015 Vision 2021

1)

Real

Income

Growth (%)

6.1

8.0

10

2) Head Count Poverty

(%)

31.5 22 14

3) Industrial Sector

Employment (%)

17 25 30

4) Contribution of

Productivity to

Economic Growth (%)

8 10 20

P r o d u c t i o n ,

I n c o m e G e n e r a t i o

n a n d

P o v e r t y

5) Overseas employment

of skilled labour

35 50 20

1) Ratio of girls to boys in

tertiary education (%)

32 60 ‐

G e n d e r

E q u a l i t y

a n d

W o m e n

E m

o w e r

2) Ratio of literate

females to males

85 100 ‐


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3) Female overseas

employment rate

5% 10% 20%

In the previous paragraph, it was shown that the average actual growth is 4.1%, but in the

SFYP, it is planned 8% which is bit ambitious. Similarly, Vision 2021 pursues to help

Bangladesh attain middle income country by 2021. It sets targets of reaching 8% growth by

FY15 (at the end of SFYP) and 10% by FY21. Its associated structural change target is to

increase share from 30% in FY10 to 40% in FY21, and employment share 14% to 25% over

the period. These are briefly as;

•

Raising the share of manufacturing sector in GDP to over 20% by 2015

•

Increasing the

employment

share

of

manufacturing

sector

to

15%

by

FY15

However, this would be challenging to achieve. The ability to adequately allocated

resources based on this high ambitious growth is unclear.

The employment challenge in Bangladesh is to create high productivity, high earning jobs.

The employment level planned is to be achieved by moving from low productivity

agriculture and informal work towards higher productivity jobs in manufacturing and formal

services. Certainly, this requires a long‐ term process and the SFYP will put efforts to bring

change in the structure of growth and employment.

The SFYP (Pp. 46) also acknowledges that the growth and employment experience of

Bangladesh and related international experiences have a number of important lessons that

would guide the formulation of the strategies to realize the targets for vision 2021. The

important lessons are as follows:

• The rising growth rate in Bangladesh has been underpinned by growing rates of national

savings and investment. For increasing the pace of the growth requires additional

investment and savings.

• Higher growth in Bangladesh has benefitted from a rising labour force both due to the

demographic transition of a higher share of working population and an increasing labour


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force participation rate of the female labour. Higher growth would be achievable by

encouraging more female participation in the labour force and enabling them to

undertake gainful employment and stay in the labour market.

• While the higher growth rate will require higher rates of investment, growth also benefit

from improvement in total factor productivity. It means productivity of both labor and

capital which can be raised through a mix of policy and institutional reforms.

• The sectoral composition of growth has to change in favour of a much higher share of

modern manufacturing and organized services to create a more rapid expansion of good

jobs.

• The employment responsiveness of growth in manufacturing needs to increase to

absorb

more

labour.

• The average productivity of all sectors, but specially agriculture, has to grow to provide

better returns to labour.

• Economic growth, employment and investment respond to policy and institutional

reforms. Many good policies have helped increase private saving and investment rates

and supported growth. However, there are many other reforms that remain to be

implemented in the areas of infrastructure, business deregulation, trade reforms,

financial

sector

reforms,

tax

policies,

information

technology,

education

and

training

which all have bearing for growth and employment by improving incentives, reducing

cost and raising productivity.

3.4 Resources Allocation, Overseas Employment and Remittances:

This part of the report deals with how resources have been allocated in the SFYP, trend of

employment abroad and remittances received in the last ten years.


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Trend in Number of Employment Abroad:

9

The above chart (Chart 2) indicates that number of overseas workers gradually increased since

2000‐01(195) till 2005‐06. After 2005 until 2008, it steadily increased and in 2008 it reached to

a peak of 875,000. Again after 2008, it had gradual fall to till 2011. However, in 2012, it shows a

recovery as it has reached to 607,000.

Remittances in Different Fiscal Year:

The following Chart 3 presents remittances received by Bangladesh during different fiscal years.

In table 2, we have seen that there were fluctuations in trend of number of employments

abroad. After 2008‐09, it had a drastically fall. In a normal situation, this fall suggests to assume

a fall in remittances as well. In contrast, during this period remittances had a steady progress as

it is seen that after 2001, it has been increasing gradually. And in 2012, total remittance

received by Bangladesh is 14,163 Million10

. (Please see chart 3 below for details).

9 http://www.bmet.org.bd/BMET/resources/statistics/18.jpg retrieved on August 18, 2013

10 http://www.bmet.org.bd/BMET/resources/statistics/18.jpg, retrieved on August 19, 2013


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11

Thus, in the context of Bangladesh, it cannot be reached to a liner conclusion that number of

overseas employment and remittances received are positively linked to each other. This implies

that having fewer number of jobs abroad could secure better remittances. Actually, it depends

on many other external policy environments, such as the skill sector of the overseas workers.

Allocation of Development resources for Labour and Manpower in SFYP

It is important for Bangladesh that even having a fall in overseas employment; the amount of

remittances received by Bangladesh has continued to increase. This increase indicates that

more allocations for labour and manpower will generate proportionately high amount of

remittances. Notably, this sustainable growth in remittance gives strength to think positively

about the high growth targets in different government plans. Moreover, in the following (Chart

4), it is seen that Government of Bangladesh has put more budgetary effort in the SFYP on

Ministry of Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment (MoEWOE) and the Ministry of

Labour and Employment. After 2013, allocations for both ministries will move forward equally.

11 http://www.bmet.org.bd/BMET/resources/statistics/18.jpg , retrieved on August 19, 2013


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12

3.5 Plan, Policies and Migration: Ambition versus Feasibility

It is good to find many positive elements in the National Skills Development Policy 2011. It

focuses on developing skills of the migrants. However, the approaches have been taken for this

may not be achievable since the private sector has not been involved in the process although

they have tremendous potential/capacity to impact skills development. Moreover, only

regulatory

approach

often

does

not

work

when

multi‐

stakeholders

are

involved

in

a

process.

The policies13

have strong focus on capacity building of the migrants. Having enhanced skills

would facilitate migrants to get good and high paid jobs. High paid, skilled jobs will bring more

remittances to country. Thus, it is really important initiative. However, the mentioned policies

have not considered that migrant’s family and society as whole have strong role in ensuring

safe migration. The roles and responsibilities often cannot be performed by the family and

society due to lack of information and understating. This lack of information and understanding

includes what

to

do

before

sending

family

member

to

abroad

and

whom

to

communicate

to

validate visa or work permit or even if the migrant falls in trap or problem.

12 Ref: Data have been taken from SFYP, Part 2, Pp‐346

13 Under analysis of this study


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The growth capacity of Bangladesh has been under‐achieved due to political turmoil and

inconsistency of policy priority and direction. Rather, problems have been getting multi‐faced

forms, thus the high growth oriented all plans might not be achievable. However, multiplier

approach for remittance owner and migrants’ family member could be initiated for better

utilizing idle money. This can accelerate economic growth.

3.6. Moving Ahead: Overseas Employment Policy 201314

Recently, Government of Bangladesh has initiated to revise ‘The Overseas Employment Policy

2006’. The resulting ‘Overseas Employment Act and Policy 2013’ have been drafted and ready

to place to the cabinet for approval. The revised act and policy extensively acknowledge the

contribution of migrant workers to the national economy.

Brief comparison on Overseas Employment Policy 2006 & 2013

Area Overseas Employment Policy 2006 Overseas Employment Policy 2013

C o n t e x t

There was no policy for making and

managing migrations sector as dynamic and

vibrant, better management of remittances

and safety and welfare of the migrant

workers. Thus, Overseas Employment Policy

2006 was enacted.

In the national and international arena,

there is significant progress which

demands a revisit the policy that was

enacted in 2006.

O b j e c t i v e

Broadly to expanding overseas labour

market, having better discipline in the sector

and welfare of migrants workers.

It has six inter‐related objectives. First of

such is creating overseas employment

opportunity for men and women so that

they can work independently with safety

and dignity. The last objective is

introducing an efficient and integrated

management structure to better manage

labour migration.

14 As of September 09, 2013, the Policy is in Final Draft form and yet to be approved by the Cabinet, thus in the

background paper the analysis has been kept to limited key aspects.


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F o c u s

The focus of the policy was mentioned under

the section of implementation activities

(article 5). These are as follows;

• Ensuring rights of the emigrants

• Maintaining new markets and exploring

new markets

• Human resources development

• Recruitment processing

• Welfare of the emigrants

• Channeling remittance through legal

process and investment of the

remittance

• Economic and social integration of

returnees

The Policy has seven sections where six

of them have dealt with issues, concerns

and policy direction in the following

areas:

•

Promoting

and

ensuring

safe migration

• Protection of migrant workers and

their family members

• Benefits and welfare of the migrant

workers

• Migration of women workers

• Integration of migration to national

development

• Labour migration governance P r i v a t e

s e c t o r

( r e c r u i t i n g

Out of the 16 specific objectives, two (4.10 &

4.16) directly encouraged engagement (for

recruitment, exploring markets, sending

more skilled labour and overall management)

of the private sector.

Scope of private sector engagement

limits to be part of the consultation

process for developing policy‐directives.

In each of the above section, the policy identifies issues, challenges and also relevant policy

direction to manage those issues and challenges. For example, under the promoting and

ensuring safe migration, the policy (Pp17) emphasizes on quality and demand driven technical

education and skills training for migrant workers through technical training centre, vocational

training centre and other educations institutions. It has also been pointed out that skill

diversification needs to be in strategic priority as in the future demand in big cities of the

developed world will be around health, education housing, telecommunication and other

service sector.


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SECTION FOUR: ANALYSIS , DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

This Section is built on analysis of the findings and then linked up with the relevant literatures.

The discussion part is followed by some recommendations.

4.1 Analysis:

Government of Bangladesh has been positive in regard to dealing with migration issues and

concerns. Since after inception in 2001, Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas

Employment (MOEWOE) has been working for ensuring welfare of the expatriate workers and

enhancement of the overseas employment. Recently, Government has initiated to review the

overseas employment policy which was active since 2006. Besides reviewing the policy,

Government has also been working to send workers directly through Government to

Government agreements. In addition, the strategic priority to send semi‐skills and skills workers

is proving valuable since early findings illustrated that while the number of expatriate workers

decreased (Chart 1; p24), the amount of remittance was increased. These issues evidently

proved that migration has been getting strong support at the high level. Moreover, data and

information also indicate that key stakeholders are involved in different policy formulations and

dialogues that affect and can shape migrants’ benefits and welfare. However, sending workers

to overseas market through private sector has been ignored.

The analysis is drawn upon findings presented in Section Three.

Migration Concerns in National Skills Development Policy 2011: Dominated by regulatory

approaches

The

policy

includes

important

components

such

as

‘needs

assessment’

and

pre‐departure

orientation of migrating workers. It also found that there will be budget available for such skills

training. Moreover, the Policy indicates that it was widely consulted. Consequently, it

potentially ensures ownership of the key stakeholders in the sector. However, the policy was

found to have some limitations which could essentially confine the skills development


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ambitions of the nation and migrating workers in particular. Firstly, in regard to skills

development for overseas employment, the whole focus of this initiative seems to be

dominated by a regulatory approach rather than a participatory ownership one. Secondly,

awareness among family left at home country and migrating worker him/herself is missing. This

is very crucial for negotiating with employers and maintaining proper communication with back

home. Thirdly, the training to develop skills of overseas workers under public‐private

partnership approach puts things uncertain since this approach still rhetorically sounds good

but yet to prove as effective.

Migration in SFYP and Perspective Plan:

The Perspective Plan rightly includes economic and social rights of the people alongside with

civil and political rights. In addition, promoting good governance and curbing corruption has

been added as a development goal. This addition, certainly will contribute to better benefits of

the migrating workers since due to rampant corruption in most spheres of the society, poor

people who wish to migrate for a job need to pay lot of additional money than the amount

stipulated by the government which increases their cost of migration. One of the seven broad

categories for monitoring progress of SFYP is human resource development. This is impressive

inclusion which seemingly will allow analysis of human development perspectives. However,

both of the Plans (SFYP and Perspective Plans) build on some narrations which are discursively

produced and have less implication in practice. For an example, firstly, promoting good

governance and curbing corruption is mentioned by almost all social and political actors but

limited initiative they take to do so. Secondly, while average achieved GDP growth of

Bangladesh is 4.1%, having a target of 7.3% per year essentially requires a comprehensive

development approach where state machineries along with political actors are driven by a

strong vision‐ which is almost impossible in a bi‐polar country like Bangladesh. Thirdly,

increasing overseas employment of skilled labour to 50% requires many accredited technical

and vocational institute in the country in the one hand. On the other, it also requires exploring

and negotiation skills of the Government for identifying opportunities in new markets and get

in into those markets.


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Skills development has been looked at different area for intervention. Thus, different initiatives

have been made to enhance the skills of the migrants’ people. In contrast, it needs to be looked

an area of incorporation in different system (like training, education, information

dissemination).

High Growth Targets:

Both the Plans (SFYP and Prospective Plan) show some ambitious growth rate. In comparing

with growth achievements of last 42 years, the facts and figure that came up, is not promising

anyway. Similarly the Plans do not consider that additional growth requires additional savings

and investment. For having high savings, the high target could be achieved through a stabilized

economic situation as well as by ensuring asset building possibilities for recipients and

migrants. IOM (2010) mentioned a number of initiatives of Government of Bangladesh like

ranges of financial incentives on migrants to invest in the home country, specifically the U.S.

Premium Dollar Bond and Non‐Resident Foreign Currency Deposit. However, results showed

that migrant account ownership is significantly low and asset ownership is significantly limited.

There is no evidence that can prove that these instruments are been systematically utilized by

the migrants. This limitation indicates that technical assistance is important to identify the

financial products people need and the institutions and location from which people can get

access to. In addition, there should be a mechanism to reach out the population who need

these products.

4.2 Discussions:

Based on the above findings, the study draws some key policy issues. Firstly, existing literatures

and many

policy

documents

often

overlook

the

important

role

that

migration

has

been

played

recently in reducing rural poverty. In contrast to the conventional knowledge which often

consider permanent migration as a hindrance to rural development. Because of, they believe

that it transfers rural resources to urban areas. Actually, migration expands rural lands and rural

markets by making more rural land available for tenancy. Migration and the shift of the rural


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labour force to non‐farm occupations have created labour shortage which ultimately facilitated

mechanization of agriculture. Secondly, remittances from internal migrations are generating

both direct and indirect benefits with short‐term, long‐term and multiplier effects on poverty

alleviation, regional development and the overall development of the country. Thirdly,

Government’s strategy for poverty alleviation has completely ignored the spatial and regional

dimensions for development. For an example, the coastal region made impressive progress in

poverty alleviation, and migration has been a great contributor, behind it. In contrast, flood‐

prone regions and those with favorable eco‐systems must be given priority attention in order to

improve labour productivity and provide greater scope for occupational mobility (Siddiqui;

2005:63).

However, the

new

OEP

2013

(final

draft)

has

captured

most

of

the

concerns

mentioned

above.

The Policy has clearly stated that at present the contribution of remittance in the national GDP

is 11%. Similarly, in the first three years of SFYP, the national annual employment target has

been achieved with 28% contribution of the overseas employment. In addition to that, the

Policy has also mentioned how remittance through labour migration contributes to the

education and health facilities of the family members. Furthermore, the Policy noted that

remittance through overseas employment has been greatly contributing to the development of

agriculture, housing

and

joint

‐ownership

based

business

sector.15

4.3 Recommendations:

Based on the above data and brief analysis, the paper likes to put forward the following

recommendations

Inclusion of

issues,

challenges

and

policy

directions

(of

OEP2013)

in

Seventh

Five

Year

Plan:

In

the new OEP 2013 (draft) has been rightly mentioned issues, challenges and some policy

15 Overseas Employment Policy 2013, Pp.48.


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directions in the areas of promoting and ensuring safe migration, protection of migrant workers

and their family members, benefits and welfare of the migrant workers, migration of women

workers, integration of migration to national development and Labour migration governance.

These issues should be adequately reflected and resourced in the upcoming Seventh Five Year

Plan of Bangladesh.

Facilitating and resourcing for some long‐benefiting area and actions: Similarly, it is also

important to have integration (into Seventh Five Year Plan) of different priorities mentioned in

the OEP 2013. Few of such priorities are;

• Developing market research unit on migration

•

Developing and functioning migration information system

• Facilitating labour Migration Forum

• Labour diplomacy for safe migration and creating new market

The first and second will produce better data, information on demand of expatriate workers

trend of the markets with direction how to respond to those demand. The third and fourth will

enable safe migration and create new markets. Therefore, these issues need to be included in

the national level policy document.

Comprehensive skills training: A comprehensive approach is missing in the NSDP. For meeting

the skills gap and entering into new markets, providing training ad‐hoc basis may work for time

being, but must not be long‐benefiting. Thus, well connected comprehensive approach for skills

development would be essential. This could be started by incorporating more contents on

migration concerns at different level of schooling and formal training. Moreover, more

technical and vocational education needs to be promoted for those want to migrate abroad.

These training

should

have

national

and

international

level

accreditation.

Awareness building of the society: Awareness building is a very important aspect of safe

migration, in fact this has been acknowledged and well captured by the new Policy (OEP

2013:23‐31). This needs to be ensured and implemented. In the rural Bangladesh, for migration


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people channel or communicate through local broker who often cheat and do not help to get

the right information. Thus, migrants’ lives are jeopardized due to lack of information and

awareness about what to do and whom to contact. Thus, sessions should be organized regularly

for prospective migrants. It is also important to make sure everybody gets the right message

from this kind of orientation. Afterwards, migrant’s family need to be sensitized and build their

awareness as well. Since in certain moment family has significant role to ensure safe migration

and boost up economic development by remittances received. Hence, the policy should guide

how to build awareness on migration in the community.

Negotiating with host countries: Having ensured skills of the migrants and sensitization to

family members of the migrants, it may not translate into a safe and secure life abroad. Thus,

negotiation

with

host

country

needs to

be

regularly

done

and

continuous

efforts

have

to

be

made to improve work condition, better pay and security abroad. This can only be achieved

through making aware of the migrants condition and improving relations and negotiation with

the host country. Having this done, appropriate negotiation approaches need to be included

into different Plans, Policies and strategies of Bangladesh.

Smooth and easy remittance flow: In line with the above skills and awareness concerns, it is

also important for sending country to facilitate migrants so that they send their earning easily.

Failure of such may result illegal channeling of money which goes to black money and could not

be counted in the national accounting system. Hence, it is important that the system and

process encourage people to send their earning through proper channel, and charges must be

less. Thus, existing relevant Policy should include this concern, alternatively separate Policy

could be enacted to promote proper channeling of remittance.

Asset building and investment environment: Similarly, it is also important to create favorable

environment by

the

sending

country

so

that

migrants

get

encouraged

to

invest

in

their

home

country. If remittances are invested by the migrants, then more job opportunity will be created.

More jobs creation will essentially contribute to the poverty alleviation and development of the

country. Thus, different Plans and Policies (for example investment in Small and Medium


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Enterprise) of the Government should consider how to attract remittances for investment at

the local level.

4.4 Conclusion

Migrants play a significant role in earning remittan