Expatriate Bangladeshis are spending idle days in the UAE

Mohammad Atiq of Hathazari of Chittagong went to Ajman state of United Arab Emirates (UAE) after spending about six and a half lakh taka. He arranged this money by selling the family farmland. Although he stayed in Ajman for a year, he could not arrange any work. The company that went through, they are also not able to do anything. As a result, he has to sleep in parks, markets and mosques. He is staying in the country hoping to get a job one day. It is far from sending money to the country by earning abroad, on the contrary, the family is now sending six thousand taka per month from the country for his food.

Thousands of Bangladeshis like Mohammad Atiq are spending their days unemployed in different states of UAE including Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Abu Dhabi. Instead of sending remittances i.e. expatriate income to the country, they are taking the minimum money required for livelihood from the country. These money transactions are done through Hundi, which is being collected in the country using Mobile Banking Services (MFS). Because, illegal transactions through hundi make the money reach the country easily and in a short time. Again, if you send money through Hundi, you get more money.

Due to this reason, the export of manpower to the UAE is increasing, but the expatriate income from the country is not increasing. However, the situation has improved somewhat. Because many people have moved from UAE. Several expatriate Bangladeshis living in the UAE said that even six months ago, various parks there were full of Bangladeshi workers day and night. Many of them have already returned to the country. Or moved elsewhere. And those who got work, they went to mess or home. As a result, people from different African countries have now taken place in the parks.

In the last 10 years, the highest export of manpower in 2022 was to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). 1 lakh 1 thousand 775 Bangladeshis visited the country last year. However, in the last 6 fiscal years, the lowest expatriate income of $207 million came in the fiscal year 2021-22. Because, many who go to the country have to stay unemployed for a long time or have to return to the country. Many others have moved to other countries. A total of 21 lakh 42 thousand 499 Bangladeshis went to UAE from 2000 to 2022.

In the last two weeks of last February, this reporter spoke with many expatriate Bangladeshis staying in different cities of Ajman, Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Most of them migrated to the country in 2022 in search of work. Talked to Rafiqul Islam of Maheshkhali in Cox's Bazar in the vegetable market of Ajman. He said, 'I have spent six and a half lakh taka. But there is no work. Sometimes I worked in a hotel in Bangladesh on an hourly basis, but I did not get a permanent job. The money I get does not cost living and eating. One has to bring some money from home every month.' Many others like him are found in that market. Most of the shop owners in the market are also Bangladeshis.

A similar picture can be found on Al Mutina Road in Deira area of Dubai. The road is dominated by Bangladeshis. Many Bangladeshis are also seen roaming around unemployed. Talked with Altaf Hossain of Maheshkhali in front of Union Metro Station. He too has spent the last year looking for work and has been unemployed. Sleep at the park near the station. Food money comes from home. Apart from this, many people are seen roaming in front of Bangladeshi-owned accommodation and food hotels in Deira area during the day. It is known that there is a conflict between them many times. Some are also getting involved with criminal gangs. They are getting huge sums of money if they can somehow get someone into the country. For this, the export of manpower to the country continues in the name of travel visa. However, many Bangladeshis are now in the country's jails due to crime.

Bangladeshi-owned mobile recharge, air ticket sellers and mobile phone vendors in Deira area of Dubai are involved in illegal hundi activities. If someone sends money to the country from Dubai, 31 taka 80 paisa is given to the country for every dirham. And if you want to send from Bangladesh, they charge 31 taka 75 paisa for every dirham.

Most of the money comes from the UAE through illegal hundi. Again money is being smuggled from the country through hundi. With that money, Bangladeshi businessmen, bureaucrats, politicians and people of various classes and professions are buying star hotels and flats in the elite areas of the country.

Shaukat Ali Mollah, managing director of Grand Star Travels, has been living in Dubai for about 25 years. He said, 'Those who are coming to this country from Bangladesh should come with understanding. If you follow the rules and come with training, you will be fine in this country. You can earn regular income. Bangladesh's economy will also be good if income is sent through legitimate channels.