Dhaka: Although Bangladesh's manpower export witnessed a robust growth of 36.31 percent in 2016, the remittance inflow declined by 10.87 percent.
 
The Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry blamed the fall in the remittance inflow on various reasons, including illegal hundi business and a drop in the oil prices in the Middle East, reported news agency United News of Bangladesh.
 
According to the ministry, some 757,731 Bangladeshi workers went to different countries with jobs in the last calendar year, up by 201,850 than the previous year's total figure of 555,881.
 
However, the country earned $ 13.61 billion in 2016 while the amount was $ 15.27 billion in 2015.
 
Contacted, Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Nurul Islam said many expatriate workers send money through hundi, an illegal way to transfer money, to get better rates. "This is one of the prime reasons behind the fall in remittance inflow," he said.
 
The government is trying to stop the hundi business, Nurul said, adding that once the illegal business is stopped, the remittance flow will automatically rise.
 
He also said Bangladesh received the highest $2,989 million remittance from Saudi Arabia in the last year while the second highest $2,535 came from the UAE.
 
M Ruhul Amin, secretary general of Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (Baira), said the remittance inflow from the Middle East countries saw a slump due to the economic recession triggered by the fall in oil prices.
 
Besides, the government's imposition of various restrictions on purchasing bonds discouraged Bangladeshi expatriates to invest in the sector, he said, calling for lifting the ban to boost the remittance inflow.
 
Founding chair of Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU) Prof Tasneem Siddiqui said many Bangladeshi expatriates in the Middle East lost their job due to the economic recession.
 
Besides, the Saudi Arabian and Malaysian governments increased the yearly levies and residence fees, which led to the reduction in remittance inflow, she said.
 
Noting that many expatriates cannot manage lucrative jobs abroad, Tasneem said, most of them earn little and they send what they can save after meeting their living expenses.
 
She urged the government and the Bangladesh Bank to take steps like arranging road shows in Bangladesh and other countries to encourage expatriates to send remittance in a legal and formal channel.
 
The government can also introduce awards for the highest remittance senders to inspire the expatriates to send more remittance, Tasneem said.
 
According to the sources at the Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry, there are some 1.05 crore Bangladeshi people living in different countries across the world.
 
In 2016, the highest 188,247 Bangladeshi workers went to Oman while Saudi Arabia holds the 2nd place with 143,913.
 
Of the country's 64 districts, maximum 86,352 workers went abroad from Comilla in 2016 while the second highest 45,780 from Chittagong.