Promises and Perils: The Costs of Bangladeshi Female Labor Migration to the Middle East

Background and purpose: The government of Bangladesh's 2016 pro-migration policy introduced a zero-cost migration scheme for female labor to the Middle East, which significantly accelerated their migration, with an average annual departure exceeding 100,000. Most female migrants are employed as housemaids, often confined within a private house. Furthermore, most Middle Eastern countries' recruitment system is governed by a 'Kafala' (sponsorship) system, which gives employers disproportionate power over immigrants. Despite the growing number of Bangladeshi females, little is known about the extent of various forms of workplace exploitation and the abuse they face in destinations. To address this need, we conducted this study to investigate the socio-economic realities of Bangladeshi female migrant workers in the Middle East.

Methods: The study adopted a convergent mixed-method approach, aiming to combine the strengths of each method. Migrants who returned from the Middle East to Bangladesh after 2017 were recruited through local branches of a leading migration NGO. Data were collected from six sub-districts of four highly migrated-prone districts. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 387 returnee female migrants for a face-to-face survey interview. Eight in-depth interviews were conducted to explore their deeper experiences, including five key informant interviews to gather insights on service provision and policy perspectives. Descriptive statistics were applied to analyze survey data, while qualitative data were analyzed using Braun & Clarke's (2006) approach to thematic analysis. The results were integrated to compare and expand the findings.

Results: Despite migration provided tangible benefits, including increased purchase capacity (81%), improved access to healthcare (1%), and perceived enhanced social status (15%), these gains often came through severe physical and mental health costs. A majority of female migrants reported that they did not receive promised salary (61%) and faced salary-related punishments, for example, long working hours without extra pay (83%), forced work (76%), and delayed wage payments (40%). Over half of the participants faced sub-standard living (66%), and most were denied weekly rest days (92%). While half of the participants reported to return home for personal reasons (52%), many departures were often supplemented by work- and harassment-related exploitations. Qualitative findings deepened how women migrants are more prone to abuse, neglect, and exploitation in the Middle East, especially under the Kafala system. However, they have very little access to remedies or services.

Conclusions and implications: The study highlights the duality of female labor migration from Bangladesh to the Middle East- while some women migrants experience better financial outcomes, these experiences are often overshadowed by stark labor exploitations, emotional trauma, and personal suffering. The findings depict the exploitative patterns of Bangladeshi female migrants in the Middle East due to limited awareness, weak protection, and limited oversight, including power imbalance that the Kafala system holds. Helping immigrants make informed decisions, comprehensive pre-departure orientation, legal support, and mental health counseling are essential to safeguard their rights and dignity. Stakeholders, including government, non-profit organizations, policymakers, and social workers must prioritize their rights and health over a remittance-driven migration model for their safety and sustained quality of life.