Dhaka dist top sender of female job seekers

Dhaka is the largest among 64 source districts in terms of sending female workers abroad followed by Manikganj and Narayanganj, according to the manpower bureau data.

Some 89,880 women went abroad from Dhaka followed by 50,020 from Manikganj, 47,330 from Narayanganj and 46,193 from Faridpur in 13 years from 2005 to 2018.

The lowest number of women abroad from Rangamati is 528, Bandarban 611 and Khagrachhari 869, according to the Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training (BMET).

Except Bogura, northern districts also saw a lower number of women workers as less than 5,000 got overseas jobs from each district during the period.

Migration experts said it is happening because Bangladeshi workers secure jobs abroad through the network of friends and families.

But all districts should get an equal opportunity of overseas jobs for women workers.

They suggested giving focus on the districts lagging behind others, especially northern and hill districts.

Training and necessary facilities should be introduced in these areas to boost migration, they observed.

The BMET data showed Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Feni, Joypurhat and Jamalpur sent up to 10,000 workers each during the period.

Barishal, Brahmanbaria, Cumilla, Gazipur, Habiganj, Kishoreganj, Narsingdi sent up to 36,000 women each.

BMET director (training) Nurul Islam said they have identified 41 districts trail badly in migration. Steps are afoot to increase the outflow of workers, including women, from the regions.

"We're providing Japanese language training for overseas job seekers from those districts," he said, adding that Bangladesh has been enlisted as a source country of Japan for skilled workers.

"So, we're preparing job seekers to send them to the Japanese market," Mr Islam mentioned.

They have already completed three batches of trainees of Japanese language course at Probashi Kalyan Bhaban in the capital.

BMET also is providing Cantonese language training in Khagrachhari and Bandarban for female job seekers for the Hong Kong market.

It is also focusing on skills training for women workers at every technical training centre so the flow of quality female migration increases.

Sumaiya Islam, executive director of Bangladesh Nari Sramik Kendra, said attention should be drawn to the unfocused districts in sending women workers abroad.

She said female job seekers in the north and hilly areas are not getting necessary information on overseas employment opportunities.

The authorities should take effective measures to provide services like skills training for them, Ms Sumaiya said emphatically.

"At the same time, safe and orderly migration should also be ensured for women workers," she said, adding that women are facing workplace exploitations abroad.

Since 1991, more than 0.86 million women have been abroad with jobs, the BMET data showed.

During the period, more than 31 per cent of them went to Lebanon followed by 26 per cent to the United Arab Emirates and 15 per cent to Saudi Arabia.

Bangladeshi women are working in 18 countries globally.