Dhaka, Jan. 1 -- Bangladesh sent a record-breaking 1.3 million workers abroad in 2023, surpassing the 2022 figure of 1.14 million. Despite this surge, unresolved issues like high migration costs, a lack of skilled labour and informal money transaction channels like hundi continue to cast a shadow over the sector.

The data released by the Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training (BMET) shows that the upward trend in worker deployment has not translated into a proportional increase in remittances.

Bangladeshis working abroad sent nearly $19.60 billion home in the January-November period of 2023, as per the Bangladesh Bank statistics.

Industry insiders pointed to fraudulent practices by some recruitment agencies as a major concern. Many...