Bangladeshi female migrant workers often return to their home countries before the end of their working lives due to various challenges in their destination countries. The study found that upon return, these migrants face financial and social challenges in reintegration with their families and communities. A mixed methodology was used to collect data on the challenges faced by female migrants returning from the Middle East in villages of Singair Upazila of Manikganj district regarding their reintegration with their families and communities. Based on the returnees (during a ten-year reference period), a survey was conducted with 123 respondents using interviewer-administered questionnaires (both closed and open-ended questions) to collect quantitative data. In addition to the survey, the study also conducted focus group discussions (FGDs) and in-depth interviews to collect qualitative data. This study adopts a conceptual framework and shows that there is a relationship between the return and reintegration experiences of female returnees. Based on the new economic labor migration theory and neoclassical theory, the study also shows that returning migrants need to be socially and economically integrated, as most of them live in vulnerable situations after their return. Therefore, the study points out the need for a specific policy framework and effective initiatives for the reintegration of returnees.

Azmira Bilkis is a researcher and academic specializing in gender, migration, and social vulnerability, with a particular focus on South Asia. She earned her PhD in Government and Politics from Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh, in 2022. Her doctoral thesis, titled “Female Return Migrants and the Challenge of Reintegration: A Case Study on Returnees of Manikganj District,” Her research explores involuntary return migration, women’s reintegration experiences, climate-related vulnerabilities, and gendered health impacts. She has published in peer-reviewed journals and actively contributes to policy-relevant research on migration governance and social protection.