‘Leaving Bihar Due to Lack of Jobs, Not Out of Choice’

Why do people want to leave Bihar? We spoke to young men outside the passport office in Patna

The Quint speaks to men looking to migrate for work, outside the Patna passport office.

Unemployment is rampant in Bihar. The state has seen a steady stream of people migrating to other states, and in some cases, to foreign countries, in search for employment and better job opportunities.

The Quint camped outside the passport office in Patna to get a sense of the aspirations of the working class. What we found was disillusionment. On an average, 1500 people, most of them young men, visit the passport office daily. Many say, they wouldn’t want to go out of Bihar if they didn’t have to.

Sarabjit Pathak (Photo: The Quint)

<p>No work in Bihar. I am a fabricator. If there is work here, of course we will stay here. I meet my family once in two years.</p>

<p><b> Sarabjit Pathak</b></p>

Muhammad Shadab. (Photo: The Quint)

<p>I want to go abroad because there is no work here, especially in Bihar. There is inflation here. At least we can earn money abroad. A lot of people above the age of 25 go abroad. I will go to the Gulf countries.</p>

<p><b>Muhammad Shadab</b></p>

Kishori Ravidas (Photo: The Quint)

<p>About 1,500-1,600 people come here every single day. Majority are young boys. There is a lot of unemployment here. That’s why people want to go. If I had a passport, I would have gone abroad too.</p>

<p><b>Kishori Ravidas, Guard Outside Passport Office</b></p>

Imran Khan (Photo: The Quint)

<p>I work in Saudi Arabia as a safety engineer. I have been there since 2009. If I would have found employment here, I would have stayed. We are like bonded labour in another country. You have to work like a machine. People only go out for money.</p>

<p><b>Imran Khan</b></p>