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Sunday | September 20, 2026 | Dhaka

Keep the Malaysian Labour Market Free from Syndicates

 New Nation
 Published: 12:56 AM, 20 September 2026

MANPOWER export holds immense importance for Bangladesh’s economy. Every year, hundreds of thousands of Bangladeshis go abroad in search of employment.

The money they send back is a major source of the country’s foreign currency earnings. Countless families rely on the remittances sent by these expatriates.

Therefore, ensuring safe and orderly manpower export is a crucial responsibility of the state.

Regrettably, there have long been allegations of various irregularities in the manpower export sector.

The Malaysian labour market serves as a prime example of this; every time this market has opened, complaints regarding syndicates, the charging of excessive fees, and other irregularities have surfaced.

In 2016, workers were sent through just ten agencies, a figure that was later increased to 101 in 2022. Allegations of charging workers exorbitant fees arose during both periods.

Amidst this, news has emerged regarding the approval of 25 new recruiting agencies to serve as primary agencies.

This list has sparked fresh questions; media reports indicate that 17 of these 25 agencies have no prior experience in sending workers to Malaysia.

The most serious concerns have been raised regarding certain agencies facing allegations of human trafficking.

Four agencies, included in the list of 57 identified by the Anti-Corruption Commission’s investigation, have also received approval to send workers to Malaysia.

The conditions set by Malaysia mandate the absence of any record involving human trafficking, violations of labour laws, extortion, money laundering, or other financial crimes.

A clear explanation is needed as to how the matter of approval aligns with that condition. Another major issue is the syndicate.

Published reports allege the influence of individuals linked to the previous syndicate and the presence of their close associates on the new list. If true, these allegations are extremely serious.

The government must transparently disclose the process used to select the 25 agencies.

The qualifications of each agency must be made public, and information regarding their experience in sending workers abroad must be presented to the people.

A worker sells land, takes out loans, and spends the family’s savings to go abroad. Having to pay several times the stipulated cost places is a heavy burden on him.

If he fails to secure a job upon arrival, the family could be left destitute. Therefore, it is crucial to reduce migration costs and ensure transparency.

A significant opportunity may arise for Bangladeshi workers in the Malaysian labour market. Care must be taken to ensure this opportunity does not fall into the hands of a new syndicate.

This requires strict monitoring, a transparent approval process, and effective accountability. Only then workers heading abroad will secure safety and fair benefits.