Economic, social and psychological drivers of labor trafficking and its impacts: A case study on returned Bangladeshi survivors

Abstract

Irregular maritime migration from Bangladesh to Malaysia presents serious risks for Bangladeshi laborers who seek work overseas to change their precarious living conditions. Survivors’ voices are often unheard and their motivation and experiences are largely undocumented. This study details the accounts of 25 survivors of labor trafficking, all men, from three major trafficking hubs in Bangladesh. Interviews with selected stakeholders provide insights into this industry and its business model. The study seeks to understand how and why decisions to undertake the journey were made. It details the multi-faceted consequences for survivors, including loss of key assets (e.g., land, livestock, cash and future work opportunities). Most of the survivors never reached their planned destination and only two persons secured work for more than six months. As a direct result of migration, most moved from living marginally below the poverty line at pre-departure to extreme poverty. Migration, precarity and motivation theories help explain the perspectives and migration decisions of the research participants. These insights can inform policymakers to develop more holistic prevention, prosecution and reintegration measures.