KHUJAND, April 7, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- Over the first quarter of this year, labor migrants’ remittances to banks in the Sughd province have decreased compared to the same period of last year.

According to the Sughd branch of the National Bank of Tajikistan (NBT), labor migrants working primarily in the Russian Federation have remitted 85.7 million US dollars to banks in northern Tajikistan in January-March this year, which is some 30 million US dollars, or 26.1 percent, fewer than in the same period of last year.

“Remittances are decreasing every month,” said the source, “Thus, labor migrants remitted 30.5 million dollars to local banks last month, while in March 2008, they remitted 40.7 million dollars.”