Labour mkt in Malaysia to reopen for Bangladeshis

Malaysia is expected to reopen its labour market for Bangladeshi workers in the near future, according to Mahdi Amin, spokesperson of the Prime Minister’s Office.

He shared the update while briefing journalists at the Bangladesh Secretariat following a recent visit to Malaysia, which he attended along with Ariful Haque Chowdhury, Adviser on Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment. Mahdi Amin said the bilateral visit focused on simplifying and accelerating the process of sending Bangladeshi workers to Malaysia. Bangladesh also requested easing some of the existing complex regulations to make access to the Malaysian labour market smoother.

The issue of undocumented Bangladeshi workers currently residing in Malaysia was also discussed, with both sides exploring possible solutions.

He further emphasized the importance of sending skilled workers, reducing migration costs, and dismantling syndicates involved in manpower export to ensure a more transparent and affordable process.

According to him, Malaysia has assured Bangladesh that these concerns will be reviewed and a decision will be made soon.

During the visit, the Bangladeshi delegation held a bilateral meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, where both sides discussed ways to facilitate labour migration.

Mahdi Amin also noted that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim extended an invitation to Tarique Rahman to visit Malaysia.

Describing the visit as a significant milestone, he said that, for the first time, Bangladesh and Malaysia issued a joint statement outlining commitments to reduce migration costs and strengthen cooperation-an outcome he termed a major breakthrough.