The number of deaths of Bangladeshi overseas workers gradually increased in the last eight years and the highest number of migrant workers died in Saudi Arabia, according to an official data.
Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training started recording the deaths of overseas workers in 2005. The data shows that 1248 bodies were sent home in 2005 while 1402 in 2006, in 2007 the number was 1673, in 2008 it was 2098, in 2009, the bureau recorded 2315 deaths, in 2010, the numer was 2560, in 2011, it was 2585 and 2878 bodies arrived home in 2012.
BMET officials said accidents, heart attack and illness caused most of the deaths. Such deaths were on the rise as every year a large number of Bangladesh workers were going abroad, they said.
They also said if the workers die in accidents on duty, their families are entitled to receive all dues, including compensation as per the labour law. If an expatriate worker dies of heart attack, no compensations are paid by the employers.
Bangladesh received a total of 16,759 bodies of overseas workers in last eight years through its three international airports in Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet.
A country-wise data of the death of expatriate workers from January 2009 to December 2012 showed that a total of 2831 bodies came from Saudi Arabia while 1529 from Malaysia, 1388 from UAE, 584 from Kuwait and 221 from Bahrain.
According to government rules, a grant of Tk 2 lakh is given to the family of each worker who are killed abroad. Besides, the government also donates Tk 35,000 for burial of each worker.
The government also helps the families of a person, who died overseas as a legal worker, to realise their dues and compensations from their employers abroad, the officials said. 
According to official record, the government has so far realised Tk 2901,617,703 as dues and compensation for 14,521 overseas workers from their recruiting companies and also distributed Tk 2553,647,877 among the families of 13,804 workers since 1977.