Weekend-5-16

special feature | migration
Escape to the promised
Why Bangladeshis are risking everything to get to Europe
Naushad Ali Husein
Jillur Rahaman bet all he had, and lost, for a
simple dream: a ‘paka’ house, made of bricks
and concrete. The plan was to work abroad for
a number of years, and return to his wife and
two children with enough money to build it.
He had sold all of his land and used up his
savings to pay an agent 5.5 lakh taka for his
passage to Libya. After flying to Khartoum,
Sudan, on a 15-day tourist visa, he was passed
from agent to dubious agent on a road journey
to Libya through the Sahara.
From Libya, he had to gather $500 to pay
for a passage across the Mediterranean to Italy
on an inflatable rubber dinghy crammed with
people. Had things gone according to plan,
Italy would throw open the doors to Europe
and prosperity.
Italy has been overwhelmed with migrants
arriving at its shores from across the
Mediterranean. More than 82,000 have arrived
so far this year. Most European Union nations
have refused Italy’s appeal to accept their
share of immigrants, preferring to pressure
North African states to take them back. Some
EU leaders have advocated accepting only
those fleeing war and persecution, and turning
back those seeking economic opportunity.
Bangladeshis make up the second largest
nationality among the cross-Mediterranean
migrants entering Italy and represent the
“economic migrants.”
If economic growth is any indication,
Bangladesh should be flourishing with
opportunity. Bangladesh has achieved a
sustained growth rate of over six per cent since
2000. Then why are people so desperate as
to attempt the most lethal sea voyage in the
world to escape to Europe?
of Manda. The nearest college is several
kilometres away, and expensive to attend.
Kamal comments on the few two-story
houses as we pass them. Most belong to
families with members living abroad.
The same is for larger businesses. “This
chicken farm is owned by three partners, one
of whom lives abroad.” says Kamal. “They can
invest because they have the means.”
But Kamal, an agricultural labourer, can just
about scrape up day-to-day expenses for his
family of three. With limited cash available, he
I would not say that
migration is due to our
economy being particularly
weak,” says Dr. Siddiqui.
“Our overall political and
socioeconomic reality is
that from within the system,
there is no way to reach
the top. You have to have
political connections
and did not prevent them from sliding back
into poverty.
“In our district just about every household
has people who have attempted to go abroad,”
says Jillur.“Most of them try for Italy. Saudi and
Dubai are also popular.”
“If you can make it to Europe, then you’re
pretty much settled,” says Kamal. Ten years
ago Kamal sold all his land to get to Libya
with a placement as an office helper. He sent
between Tk.12,000 and 15,000 home every
‘Everyone has a dream of
going abroad’
Jillur’s village, Manda is some 10 km from
Shariatpur town. The paved road passes at
a distance from the village. A five foot road
leading in is only now being constructed.
A muddy trail winds through paddy fields,
ponds and corrugated iron houses. School
children dodge the puddles and leave us far
behind.
Very few of them will get beyond secondary
education, says Kamal Sheikh, a resident
is hesitant to invest in livestock or poultry.
A World Bank study on rural poverty in
Bangladesh indicates that the economic
success of migrant workers has been crucial
for drastic and long-lasting social mobility.
Rural households who moved out of extreme
poverty to incomes above 1.5 times the
poverty level between 2000 and 2008 said
migrant family members contributed most of
the additional income.
Income from trade, business and services
contributed modestly to increases in income,
Jillur Rahaman, back at home
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WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, AUGUST 11, 2017