Local-level institutions play a critical role in international migration. Two major areas in which they contribute most are: resolving problems created by migration and remittances, and enabling the best possible exploitation of various latent potentials. A detailed scrutiny of various local-level institutions will underline their potential roles for international migration. For instance, traditional social order in a village, somaj (little community) may have an important bearing on international migration. Different social norms and religious rituals influence the use of remittances for alternative purposes. The decision-making process may entail various other institutions having a bearing on international migration. Pragmatic measures should be taken to strengthen major institutions to enable them to duly perform their roles in the process of international migration. Social organization of migrant families should be encouraged in association with local-level institutions such as schools and religious institutions. Care should be taken over the proper functioning of local educational institutions. Finally, facilitating institutions such as schools, post offices, marketplaces, banks, and savings bureaus could be made widely available in areas where there is a concentration of migrant households. There is a comment by S. Bagchi-Sen, pp 135-136. -from Author

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international migration Bangladesh remittances labour migration somaj migration role institutions local organisation economic role migrants' remittance developing country Migration Policy