ABSTRACT

Bangladesh has participated in the international short-term labor market as one of the major labor-sending countries since the mid-1970s. Gulf and other Arab countries and some of the Southeast Asian countries are major destinations of Bangladeshi workers. The total number of Bangladeshi workers who have participated in this labor market for short-term employment now stands at more than 9 million, with a steep increase in numbers since 2000. Remittances sent by the migrants, skills attained during migration and the growing interpersonal networks of migrants play a major role in reducing poverty and enhancing the development of Bangladesh. This chapter provides an understanding of the developmental outcomes of migration on the country’s local and national economies.