ABSTRACT
This chapter draws from case studies of undocumented Bangladeshi women who are engaged in various informal-sector occupations in Maharashtra to highlight the multiple vulnerabilities and threats that they face due to both their status as undocumented migrants and their gender positioning in the informal labour market. Women in Bangladesh have long dealt with patriarchal institutions in all spheres of their lives. This, coupled with stubborn levels of poverty, the lack of adequate employment opportunities, and regressive migration policies for women, has led to the proliferation of hidden and parallel pathways for migration. While Bangladeshi men mostly migrate to countries in the Middle East and Southeast Asia, India remains one of the dominant destinations for undocumented Bangladeshi women. Using a mixed-methods approach, the chapter highlights the vulnerabilities and agency of Bangladeshi women in the face of extortive labour relations, weak gender positions, and socio-political vulnerabilities.
