Staff Reporter :
Despite possessing all necessary documents, including clearance cards issued by the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET), a total of 16,970 workers found themselves unable to depart for Malaysia as the May 31 deadline passed.
State Minister for Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment, Shafiqur Rahman Chowdhury, announced on Sunday the formation of a probe committee to investigate this matter further.
Addressing the press at the ministry, he stated, “A probe committee led by an Additional Secretary has been formed and will submit its report within seven working days.”
Shafiqur Rahman Chowdhury assured affected Malaysia-bound workers that they could lodge complaints with this committee for redressal.
According to data from the Expatriates’ Welfare Ministry, the actual number of affected workers exceeds 50,000, based on the total permission letters issued.
The state minister implicated 100 agencies, including four Members of Parliament, in the syndicate responsible for the workers’ plight. He asserted, “Anyone found responsible will face punitive actions per the law. No one will be spared.”
Clarifying the ministry’s stance on syndicates, the state minister articulated, “We do not believe in syndicates. Workers are sent according to the preferences of
the host countries. We should follow the rules and systems of the host country.”
He expressed the ministry’s aim for all registered 2,500 agencies to have the ability to send workers to any hiring country based on their own dealings.
Meanwhile, Md. Shameem Ahsan, High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Malaysia, pledged support to bring all affected workers to Malaysia despite their inability to enter Kuala Lumpur due to timing issues He said this to the visiting the on-arrival Bangladeshi migrant workers at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Friday night.
