Unveiling the economic odyssey: exploring the well-being of Bangladeshi migrant workers in Malaysia

Abstract

This study assesses the economic well-being of 220 Bangladeshi migrant workers in Malaysia, utilizing a quantitative approach and an economic well-being index. Findings reveal insights into their monthly earnings, savings, remittances, and levels of satisfaction with various aspects, including consumption, expenditures, and leisure time. While there’s contentment with compatible salaries based on skills, concerns exist regarding job security, financial support during illness, and the risk of post-return poverty. These findings offer crucial insights for policymakers, migration activists, and practitioners, guiding future decisions and support measures for migrant workers.

Keywords:

• International migration
• migrant workers
• economic wellbeing
• wage
• security
• Bangladesh

Acknowledgements

This paper is derived from the first author’s PhD thesis completed at the University of Malaya. The authors would like to express their gratitude to the University of Malaya, the field-level respondents, and the Bangladesh High Commission in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for granting permissions and providing support during the research process.

Authors’ contributions

The first author developed the proposal, conducted a review of the literature, performed data collection, and carried out data analysis. The second and third authors provided supervision and guidance throughout the work of the first author. The second author drafted the article. All authors have thoroughly reviewed and approved the final version of the paper.

Data availability statement

Data are available upon request to the corresponding author.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Ethical consideration

This study was taken approval from the University of Malaya Research Ethics Committee (UMREC) (Reference no. UM. A/Z/425/12).

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all participants.