Remittance practices in rural Bangladesh: A gendered analysis

Abstract

This paper presents a gendered analysis of remittance behaviour in households that depend on overseas earnings. Applying the conceptualisation of gender as 'doing' and 'performativity' to migrant communities in Bangladesh, it discovers the functioning of various subject positions adopted by men and women as remitters, receivers, providers and managers. While these fluid subjectivities face opposition from the prevailing gender norms, which see men as the providers and women as the carers of the household, the paper depicts the multiple ways in which men and women conform to and negotiate with these norms and thus normalise their position. It offers fresh insights into the linkages between remittance practices and gender beyond essentialist claims of dependency, empowerment and development.

Genomic epidemiology of early SARS-CoV-2 transmission dynamics in Bangladesh

“…The return of a large number of Bangladeshi nationals to the country during the early stages of the pandemic may have allowed for extensive lineage importation to the country from a wide range of geographical locations [14,16–18,62]. Notably, over 10 million Bangladeshi citizens live abroad, and the number of migrant labourers returning to the country was 8 times higher in 2020 than in previous years [18,63,64]. Introductions may have been seeded via international airports [14,16–18,60], as well as through cross-border human mobility with neighbouring countries (e.g., India [65–67]).…”

Patriarchal bargains in short‐term women's migration from Bangladesh

“…The other side of the patriarchal bargain is for the women left behind when men migrate, and the opportunities that present for them to have a greater say in the household in the absence of the husband. In some cases, the women take over remittance management and become de facto heads of households (Rashid, 2013; Rashid, 2022b). Of course, this is not as clear‐cut, as in some contexts, other relatives take on the role of the patriarch, and certain restrictions are maintained (Ahmed, 2020; Bhattarai & Pant, 2013; Pease, 2009).…”

Female Migration and Stay-Behind Children in Bangladesh

“…Why women migrants left their children at home can be explained by two theoretical factors: macro-system factors and micro-system factors (Tong et al, 2019). Macro system discusses the broader reason such as work contracts, conditions and laws between the country of origin and destination, visa restrictions, etc., that do not allow mothers to bring their children with them and assign their husbands and children to stay home (Rashid, 2016). The microsystem discusses the family nature of migrants, their socio-economic status, the travel and living cost of children, the age of children, etc., which often decide the choice for leaving children at home.…”