Title

 Dynamics of Problems and Coping Strategies: A Perspective of Bangladeshi Labor Migrants in Middle
                                               East


                                              Author

                                        Sanjoy Kumar Chanda


Abstract

Most of the Bangladeshi labors go to Middle East countries- Saudi Arab and UAE- as migrants to seek
for work. General people know from different studies and media that labor earns foreign money from
Middle East and they send it to Bangladesh, contributing to the flow of remittance. But,
practically, there are also the sufferings of labors like exploitation, racial discrimination. So,
they take strategies to cope with adverse situations, even some are unethical like stealing. Few
studies emphasized about labor’s sufferings but not with high importance. Even, Governments are
reluctant to address problems as it will decrease flow of migration. But this is unfair not to
address as addressing problems may be the source of mitigating problems. So this paper will focus
on the real challenges that labor face. Moreover, exploitation and racial discrimination are
conflicting issues as it goes against human nature. Any human being does not have any right to
physically and mentally torture anybody. Black and white or short and long is the creature of God
so it should not be considered as discrimination. But, unfortunately, Bangladeshi migrant labors
face it in Middle East that will be addressed here. This topic is important as it will focus on the
basic structure-income earners-of Bangladesh. Besides, it will inform the government and
international agency to mitigate problems of labor migrants. Readers will be interested as this
migration study is the source of problems that labor experiences and strategies they take defending
problems as migrants.

Problems of labor migrants are addressed in the following questions: Why do labor migrants of
Bangladesh suffer from different problems and take coping strategies in Middle East? There are
sub-questions behind this key question. Are laborers considered as a tool rather than human being?
Does Bangladeshi have less institutional supports than others? Does not every coping strategy
supportive to mitigate respective problem?

This study has theoretical uses and literatures. It has relevance of globalization theory that
focus on structures and variables of unequal economic exchange (Appadur 1990). While global labor
markets are now inter-dependant on skilled and low-skilled people from countries like Bangladesh,
there remains a gap in addressing the impacts that migration has on those leaving behind their
families and communities, their social structure and culture (OKUP 2009). The creative use of
situational tactics and flexible coping strategies provide the migrant with greater adjustment
abilities, thus enhancing his long-term survival prospects (Conquergood, 1992).

Here two general hypotheses are: 1) Inequality increases the problems of Bangladeshi labors in
Middle East and 2) Dynamics of problems insists variations of coping strategies. These hypotheses
will be measured in four aspects, including: a) economic- wage payment; b) social- poor
accommodation, health risk, gender and racial discrimination; c) instrumental support- weak law;
and d) psychological- mental exploitation.

Primarily the structure of this paper will incorporate five topics including introduction,
methodology, problems dynamics, coping strategies and conclusion.