Those who left their dust-laden village paths before dawn with a handful of savings in a clay bank and a heart full of dreams cannot be recognized through fairy tales. They are recognized by the calluses on their hands, the salty sweat on their brows, and the scorching heat of distant Middle Eastern deserts. Every day on foreign soil, they battle life's harsh realities, and on the strength of their hard-earned remittances stands the sturdy foundation of Bangladesh’s economy. Yet, the stories of these unsung heroes often remain buried beneath numbers, their blood, sweat, and tears hidden behind the scenes.
Flipping through the reports of the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics or Bangladesh Bank reveals impressive figures: billions of dollars in reserves, GDP growth, and rising remittance charts. But behind these numbers lie living histories of personal struggle. Take Jahirul from Comilla or Raju from Pabna. When their flights first took off from Dhaka Airport toward Dubai or Riyadh, their eyes held only the hope of a better life for their families. Left behind were leaky roofs, aging parents needing medication, and the future of a younger sister’s marriage.
Life for expatriate workers is far from glamorous. The struggle starts long before sunrise. Working twelve to fourteen hours under a relentless sun, crowding six to eight people into a cheap shared room, and saving on every meal just to send every single taka home—this is the daily routine for most. Whether enduring extreme cold or suffocating heat, they do not stop working even when their bodies break down. They know their families back home wait by the phone for news. On festive days like Eid, while everyone at home dresses up and celebrates, overseas workers spend their time in quiet rooms, staring at family photos on a phone screen.
The contribution of remittance earners to Bangladesh's economy goes well beyond statistics. The visible transformations in the rural economy—brick houses, improved living standards, children attending school, and expanding local markets—are largely powered by the money they send home. Remittances serve as a vital lifeline to keep foreign exchange reserves strong and meet import costs. Even during national crises and global economic downturns, these workers have kept the country moving forward.
Yet, it remains a tragic reality that the very expatriates driving the country's economic engine are often deprived of due respect and facilities at home. From selling homesteads to pay predatory middlemen, to facing various forms of harassment upon arriving at the airport, their ordeals seem endless. Lack of proper guidance at terminals, long immigration queues, and lost baggage remain daily occurrences. Furthermore, when workers return home sick or jobless, there is no strong economic or social safety net to support their rehabilitation.
The time has come to move beyond calling them "Remittance Warriors" in sentiment alone and take effective measures. First, migration costs must be lowered by eliminating middleman syndicates and ensuring safe, low-cost government-led migration. Second, because a large portion of expatriates remain in low-paying jobs due to a lack of skilled manpower, targeted training is essential to transform them into skilled human resources for higher-paying positions. Finally, to discourage informal money transfer channels like hundi, attractive incentives or festival bonuses should be offered for sending money through legal banking channels, along with special investment facilities in the country.
Remittance earners are not merely money-transfer machines; they are the craftsmen behind every brick of this nation's foundation. Every drop of their sweat fuels Bangladesh's progress. Ensuring proper respect, honor, and life security for these expatriates who sacrifice their own comfort to sustain the nation is our moral duty as a state and society.
Financial Mirror/AH
