Bangladesh’s overseas labour market is heavily dependent on the Middle East. About 67 percent of the country’s total migrant workers go to Saudi Arabia. Qatar ranks second, Kuwait fourth, the United Arab Emirates sixth and Jordan seventh among key destinations. However, due to the ongoing war situation across much of the Middle East, Bangladesh’s labour market is now facing significant risk.

Expatriates are living in fear. Many are unable to return to their workplaces after vacation. If the conflict becomes prolonged, it could have a serious negative impact on remittance inflows.

It is widely known that remittances sent by expatriates and export earnings from the readymade garments (RMG) sector are the two main driving forces of Bangladesh’s economy. Even during global recessions or economic instability, remittances play a vital role in sustaining the country’s foreign exchange reserves and rural economy. In 2025, Bangladesh received $32.8 billion in remittances — the highest in any year so far.

Following US and Israeli strikes in Iran, Iran has reportedly carried out retaliatory attacks on US bases in the Middle East. As a result, nearly six million Bangladeshi expatriates in the region are passing their days in extreme uncertainty and anxiety.

So far, one Bangladeshi expatriate has been killed in the United Arab Emirates and another in Bahrain. Four Bangladeshis were injured in Kuwait and three in Bahrain. Many expatriates are unable to return home in emergencies. With Middle Eastern airspace either closed or restricted, many cannot return to work on time after leave. Some are also facing visa complications as their permits near expiration.

Former professor of International Relations at the University of Dhaka, Imtiaz Ahmed, told Kaler Kantho that if the war is short-term or ends within two weeks, the labour market may not face major disruption; in fact, reconstruction efforts could increase demand for workers. However, if the conflict becomes prolonged, it will severely affect employment. Fear and uncertainty will rise, work opportunities may shrink, and many expatriates may want to return home. He stressed that the government should prepare contingency plans for repatriation if the war drags on.

Professor Ahmed further noted that Bangladesh’s labour market is largely unskilled or semi-skilled, with limited demand outside the Middle East. Countries like Japan and European nations require skilled workers. To diversify labour destinations, Bangladesh must invest heavily in developing skilled manpower.

Bangladeshi embassies in Middle Eastern countries have advised citizens to avoid military installations and remain indoors or in safe locations unless absolutely necessary. The Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment has opened call centers and hotlines to assist expatriates.

Due to airspace closures in the Middle East, a total of 74 domestic and international flights were cancelled over the past three days from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, leaving thousands of expatriates and international passengers in uncertainty and distress. Airlines are advising those with expiring visas to apply for extensions. The Expatriates’ Welfare Ministry has arranged accommodation and meals for stranded workers whose homes are far from Dhaka.

Prime Minister’s Adviser (with state minister rank) Humayun Kabir said at an event that expatriates are the government’s top priority. He assured that the government will take necessary initiatives regarding ticket reissues, visa matters, and the safety and welfare of Bangladeshis in affected countries.

According to the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET), 1,131,144 workers went abroad for employment in 2025. Of them, 754,369 (67 percent) went to Saudi Arabia, followed by 107,596 to Qatar (10 percent), 70,177 to Singapore (6 percent), 42,241 to Kuwait (4 percent), and about 40,139 to the Maldives (nearly 4 percent). Smaller numbers went to the United Arab Emirates (13,752), Jordan (12,301), Cambodia (12,251), Italy (9,365), and Kyrgyzstan (6,650).

Data for the first two months of this year show Saudi Arabia remains the top destination with 108,919 workers, followed by Singapore, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, the UAE and Iraq.

Mohammad Fakhrul Islam, Joint Secretary General of the Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA), warned that prolonged war in the Middle East could significantly damage Bangladesh’s labour market. Workers currently in the region face anxiety and uncertainty. If the war continues, job losses may occur, new recruitment may decline, and remittances could suffer a major blow. He emphasized the need for the government to focus on alternative labour markets such as Malaysia, Japan, Korea and Europe to reduce overdependence on one region.

Malaysia, Bangladesh’s second-largest labour market, currently employs about 1.5 million Bangladeshi workers. After reopening in 2022 following four years of closure, 50,090 workers went there that year, 351,683 in 2023, and 93,632 in 2024. However, only 3,066 workers have gone to Malaysia in 2025 so far.

Sources say Malaysia’s labour market has again become uncertain, having been closed in June 2024 due to recruitment syndicates, excessive migration costs, and unemployment among workers already there. Although many workers are interested in going to Singapore, limited skills are restricting opportunities. As a result, Bangladesh’s overseas labour market expansion remains constrained.