Abstract
Migration brokers play a substantial role in international labour migration, bridging the historical continuum from its origins to its current state. They are deeply embedded in migrant communities and serve as intermediaries in the recruitment process.
However, their reputation has been tarnished, and they have long been viewed negatively as exploiters of migrants, dating back to at least the nineteenth century. This article explores the complex relationships between migrants and brokers, which often rely on trust and kinship ties.
By examining evidence from colonial India and present-day Bangladesh, this study also uncovers the structural interdependence between slavery and labour migration. A crucial aspect of this historical interconnectedness is the financing of migration through debt, which has become a global trend producing dependency of migrant workers on employers, migration brokers, and states.