Remittances as a Social Process: The Singapore-Bangladesh Remittance Corridor

Abstract

This study argues that research linking the contexts of remittance-sending with remittance-receiving is far more capable of capturing the complexity of remittances and its development dynamics. Focusing on the Singapore-Bangladesh remittance corridor, this study examines remittances in relation to remittance sending, receipt, use and control, and finally their potential for development. The findings suggest that recruitment fees, sources of arrangement of fees, earnings and savings affect the amount and frequency of remittances on the sending side. The study documents male domination in remittance receiving and attributes this to generational patterns of transfer–from sons to fathers or elder brothers. The recipients of remittances enjoy more privileges in the management of remittances. Remittances are invested in both physical and human capital formation and they help migrant workers and their families advance on the road to improved life chances.