Experts urge coordinated approach to help migrant workers resettle

Stakeholders across government, civil society and development sectors are calling for a more unified approach to assist migrant workers returning to Bangladesh, addressing gaps in current support systems that leave many vulnerable upon arrival.

Returning migrants often struggle with limited access to skills training, credit facilities and employment opportunities that match their overseas experience. Without adequate rehabilitation mechanisms, many find themselves underemployed or forced into informal work arrangements, despite years spent abroad in higher-skilled positions.

Experts emphasize that successful reintegration requires coordinated action involving multiple government ministries, financial institutions and non-governmental organizations. Such collaboration should focus on skills assessment, job placement services, entrepreneurship support and psychosocial counseling for workers who have endured difficult conditions abroad.

The current fragmented approach, where various agencies operate independently, has resulted in inefficiencies and duplicated efforts. A centralized framework could better identify returning migrants' needs and direct them toward appropriate support services.

As remittance inflows remain critical to Bangladesh's economy, officials stress that investing in migrant reintegration not only benefits individual workers and families but also strengthens the broader migration ecosystem by encouraging safe, managed migration pathways.