Dhaka, March 25 -- Labour migration from Bangladesh has dropped by nearly 30% over the past year, signalling a continued contraction in the country's labour market and reflecting changing trends in job preparedness and overseas employment demand.

A key factor behind the shrinking labour market has been the reduced recruitment from countries such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar, combined with the closure of markets in Malaysia, Oman, and Bahrain.

Although the government is exploring new labour markets, stakeholders feel the efforts have been insufficient. They stress the need to strengthen diplomatic initiatives to reopen existing markets.

According to the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET), 1,011,869 workers migrate...