The Women Left Behind: Saudi Labor's Impact on Bengali Families

Due to its proximity to climate-displaced families seeking refuge and work, Chittagong is a growing city in southern Bangladesh. Families who move in and around this region are introduced to recruitment agencies for domestic and construction labor in countries including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. They undergo training and are sent abroad, which provides vulnerable families with remittances and an income.

However, these agreements are coercive: Laborers' passports are often withheld by employers; domestic (and international) movement is restricted; communication is inhibited; and religious customs are disrespected. Human rights agencies report deaths, rampant sexual assault, dehydration, non-payment, debt bondage, and physical abuse.

Interviews with these laborers for this project were difficult to conduct because of restrictions on speech and the media. However, the mothers, daughters, nieces, and wives of laborers sent abroad discuss labor exploitation, family separations, and modern human trafficking.

While the materials and wealth produced in these industries fuel global economies, their devastating effects on families remain underreported.