Bangladesh accounted for a 50 per cent share in the GCC labour market from three South Asian countries in the first half of 2017. Indians comprised just 22 per cent while Pakistanis get 28 per cent, according to emigration statistics compiled by The Indian Express from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. These six Gulf economies absorbed 19,01,356 workers in 2016 from the three major South Asian nations as against 17,52,734 workers in 2014, reports indianexpress.com. The statistics show that Indians comprised almost 48 per cent of workers in the Gulf from the three countries in 2013, and a little under 27 per cent in 2016. The share of Pakistani workers, in contrast, jumped from about 37 per cent to 43 per cent during this period. Bangladeshis registered a massive spurt from a little under 15 per cent in 2013 to over 30 per cent in 2016. Statistics compiled by the Ministry showed that the number of Indian workers emigrating to the GCC countries shrank by almost 35 per cent from 7,75,845 in 2014 to 5,07,296 in 2016. The Indian government has blamed “lack of demand” for an almost 35 per cent decline in the number of Indian workers to Gulf countries from 2014 to 2016. Workers from Bangladesh, Pakistan have stepped up to meet demand following the dip from India. Official data from the three countries on workers’ emigration to the six nations that comprise the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) – Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain – show a near 8.5 per cent growth during this period.
