According to the latest census, the population of Feni district is 16,48,896. According to the information provided by the District Employment and Manpower Office, 331,927 people in the district have gone abroad for work since 2005. According to the census and housing census statistics, 33.85 percent or 125,270 families in the district have received expatriate income in the two years preceding the census.
At the national level, this rate is 9.28 percent. Of the families receiving expatriate income in Feni, 76.81 percent live in rural areas and 23.19 percent live in towns. The highest number of these families lives in Feni Sadar. On the other hand, Feni is ahead in Chattogram division in remittances from expatriates.
In the last 5 months (July-November) of the 2024-25 fiscal year, expatriates from Feni have sent 317.4 million or 31.70 crore US dollars to the country.
The information received shows that the expatriates of this district sent home 607.4 million US dollars in the 2023-24 fiscal year, 555.1 million US dollars in the 2022-23 fiscal year, 513.8 million US dollars in the 2021-22 fiscal year, and 576.6 million US dollars in the 2021-21 fiscal year.
According to the same source, 13,928 people in the district have gone abroad for work until November this year. Last year, 22,815 people went abroad from this district. Until October 2024, 5 bodies have arrived in the district from abroad. However, according to the statistics published by the Population and Housing Census 2022, 154,243 people were abroad in Feni at the time of the census, which is about 10.70 percent of the total population of the district.
Didar Mia, Assistant Director of the Feni District Employment and Manpower Office, said that if expatriates file a complaint with the district office about fingerprint complications or fraud through an agency, action is taken subject to investigation. However, if someone is cheated through a broker, there is no opportunity to do anything.
When asked if there is any financial assistance initiative for expatriates, he said that if expatriates want to invest the income they earn in any business, there is a loan facility from the Expatriate Welfare Bank. Any expatriate can take a loan if they want.
However, expatriates living abroad have various complaints. They have highlighted various problems including passport complications and immigration harassment.
A Kuwaiti expatriate named Nizamul Haque Rion said, "I have been abroad for a year. I am earning money while away from my family. I am sending remittances for the country, but the government has not yet ensured the respect due to expatriates. Even now, if someone dies abroad, their family has to run. Harassment in these matters needs to be stopped.
A Qatari expatriate named Shefaz Chowdhury said, there are many Bangladeshis in Middle Eastern countries. The financial security of expatriates here, including job security, needs to be further increased. Expatriates are called remittance warriors, but we are neglected when we go home. Immigration complications and theft of goods have not stopped yet. We have to endure various sufferings.
In view of the expatriates' complaints, the Assistant Director of the District Employment and Manpower Office said that if an expatriate is a victim of fraud or dies abroad, the District Employment and Manpower Office works for the welfare of expatriates, including bringing back their bodies.
He said that if an expatriate is a victim of harassment or fraud, if it is a government registered agency, action is taken subject to investigation. However, if cheated by a broker, there is nothing to be done.
Regarding unregistered travel agencies, he said, there is no scope for assistance if cheated by an unregistered agency. If the documents are in order, then action can be taken according to the law. There is also the opportunity to file a case in court.
Meanwhile, Feni District Administration held a rally and discussion meeting on the theme of International Migrants Day and National Expatriates Day, with Deputy Commissioner Saiful Islam as the chief guest.