Patterns of temporary rural migration: A study in northern Bangladesh

Migration from rural to urban areas is common in many low- and middle-income countries. However, temporary migration from rural to other rural areas also occurs and is not yet well understood. Here, we conceptualize what drives rural people to migrate temporarily to other rural areas, rather than to urban areas where wages are usually higher. This question is analysed with qualitative data collected through group discussions and in-depth interviews with randomly selected households in northern rural Bangladesh, where temporary migration is widely observed. The data reveal that temporary migration is common especially among poor agriculture-dependent households with farm labour and family demographic constraints that prevent longer-term migration. Many temporary migrants prefer rural over urban destinations, influenced by their limited skills, social networks, negative perceptions of cities, and the comparative income-cost ratios between destinations. Our findings suggest that the notion of temporary migration in low- and middle-income countries being primarily a rural-to-urban move needs to be re-evaluated.