Impact of Remittances on Education and Human Resource Development: Evidence from Bangladesh

Abstract

Despite the fact that Bangladesh largely depends on remittances sent by its international migrants, little is known about the strategies lying behind the use of remittances. A new in-depth study carried out in Bangladesh under the DFID funded Migrating out of Poverty Research Programme Consortium (RPC) on intra-household remittance practices unveils the fact that remittances not only enhance people's life circumstances by smooth­ing consumption but also enable them to invest in education for economic and social mobility. While education has a special meaning in rural society in Bangladesh in increasing one's social status, the way remittances are invested in education are inadequate to produce skilled manpower for home and abroad. The policy brief, therefore, suggests research, awareness and framing of policies so that remittances can contribute to the realisa­tion of the full development potential of migration through human resource development.