Return Migrants: Mean-Deviation Vulnerability to Poverty and Social Insecurity in Bangladesh

Our objective is to evaluate the diverse susceptibility of individuals returning from abroad to poverty and its ramifications on their overall well-being. From March to June 2022, we conducted a survey, gathering primary data from 400 households of Bangladeshi return migrants. Our findings disclose a poverty rate of around 33%, with approximately 40% of returnees falling into the vulnerable category according to the Alkire and Foster approach, and 36% based on the Principal Component Analysis method. The vulnerability-to-poverty assessments demonstrate robustness when employing principal component analysis rather than arbitrary weightings. These vulnerability measures are intricately linked to nonmonetary indicators encompassing facets such as food security, clothing, housing, education, and healthcare. Notably, female returnees residing in rural areas face heightened vulnerability and grapple with challenges emanating from their own families and neighbors. On the other hand, male returnees exhibit vulnerability primarily concerning monetary issues. Social insecurity emerges as the most vulnerable dimension in our analysis.