Families need credit support as remittance inflow halted
Staff Correspondent, Dhaka
An organization has expressed grave concern that migrant Bangladeshi workers, particularly in Middle Eastern countries, are unable to send remittance due to shut down of banks following the outbreak of COVID-19.
This has made very difficult for their family members living mostly in rural areas to maintain their livelihood, according to a press statement issued on Saturday by Bangladesh Journalists Foundation for Consumers and Investors (BJFCI).
BJFCI also urged the government to allocate interim credit at low rates under a special credit programme to help these migrant workers, who are passing very hard days.
Under the credit programme, Bangladesh missions abroad can send online the list of migrant workers, who need credits and banks can disburse the credit at low interest rates through MFS (mobile financial services) channels, the statement added.
BJFCI observed the government through its missions can also introduce a special remittance delivery system through digital payment systems for migrant workers in collaboration with global remittance service providers to remit a limited amount of money.
Migrant workers in different countries including Saudi Arabia and UAE are stranded as the governments enforced the country-wide lockdowns after the outbreak of novel coronavirus.
All banks, remittance service providers and offices are closed down, preventing the workers from sending money home.
According to Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training (BMET), the total number of Bangladeshi workers in 168 countries is nearly 12 million including 600,000 female workers in Saudi Arabia alone.
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