Migration of Bangladeshi workers to Malaysia: emerging lessons of economic and social costs and benefits at the migrant, migrant household and community levels

Rethinking Migration-Development Nexus: A Case of Bangladeshi Migrants’ Households

“…Many studies have confirmed that migrants spend almost half of their remittances income on the purpose of purchasing arable land for cultivation (Mahmood, 1991;Rahman, 2000b;Siddiqui, 2001;Joarder & Hasanuzzaman, 2008). In order to make an income a small group of returnee migrants have been able to invest remittances in small business in their local areas (Siddiqui and Abrar, 2003;Hossain et al 2013); a few returnee migrants at the same time have established business in the city (Hossain et al 2013). In addition, migrants are aware for their future that has inspired them to save money as well as buy bond and .…”

“…The control and use of remittances income by the migrants' wives divides the extended family and forms the nuclear one as well as transforms the 'traditional headship' to modern one (Siddiqui, 2001; Roy & Nangia, 2002; Hossain et al, 2013). The economic power of migrants neglects the authority of old-aged people in the family that influences on the 'traditional family power structure' and transforms it into new power structure headed by migrants (Rahman, 2004).…”

“…People do not only criticise women they even feel unwillingness to helping them in any problem. Because of the lack of social support as well as workload in and outside the household they feel extreme depression, insecurity and loneliness (Hossain et al, 2013). A few wives of migrants are involved in extramarital relationship in and outside the village and break up the family relationship (Afsar et al, 2002;Hossain et al, 2013).…”

“…Rahman (2000b) explicitly states that returnee migrants are evaluated negatively by the villagers if they work in the field on their own lands and/or other lands; instead, villagers think that the work in the field is for those villagers who do not get opportunity to go to overseas. The majority of returnee migrants feel apathy to work in the field in order to protect social status and as a result they become unemployed (Bruyn & Kuddus, 2005;Hossain et al, 2013).…”

“…Migration of household head and/or any other important person stops to continuing study of younger family members because of lack of proper care and guidance (Hadi, 2001;Hossain et al 2013). Many children particularly elder daughters of women migrants drop out schools as they take care of their younger siblings and do household activities in the absence of their mothers which migrants could do (Siddiqui, 2001).…”