This newspaper reported on Wednesday that manpower exporters in Dhaka are optimistic as the Bangladesh Embassy in Kuala Lumpur sees a surge in demand for workers.
They hope that the government will act swiftly to secure the Malaysian labour market, which has been at risk. Embassy officials are currently verifying demand letters but are awaiting government orders to proceed.
Stakeholders warn that if Bangladesh delays, Malaysia may turn to other nations like Nepal or the Philippines for labour. Leaders from BAIRA expressed concerns about attempts by former syndicate members to regain influence and emphasized the need to keep the market open to all agencies to avoid monopolies.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s upcoming visit to Bangladesh, where he is expected to discuss key issues such as trade, investment, and manpower, is seen as an opportunity. BAIRA leaders urge the government to use this visit to reopen the Malaysian labour market, which has been closed due to syndicate-related irregularities.
Data shows that Malaysia, after Saudi Arabia, is the second-largest market for Bangladeshi workers. The market has been closed since May 31, following criticism over recruitment practices. Syndication has led to excessive charges, with recruiters warning against its return to protect migrants from high fees and exploitation.
The exploitation of workers began after Malaysia introduced a rehiring programme in February 2016, appointing three private companies to process documents for irregular foreign workers, including Bangladeshis. These companies subcontracted the work to hundreds of Malaysian agents, who manipulated, bribed, and cheated migrants on a massive scale.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has recently launched an investigation into an alleged syndicate led by ex-officious of the fascist Awami League government. They are accused of embezzling Tk. 24,000 crore under the guise of sending workers to Malaysia.
The syndicate, involving ex-finance minister Mustafa Kamal, retired General Masud Uddin Chowdhury, and former MPs Nizam Uddin Hazari and Benazir Ahmed, reportedly sent around 450,000 workers abroad in just one and a half years. However, many of these workers were unable to secure jobs and returned empty-handed.
It is unfortunate that Bangladeshi migrant workers face various difficulties due to the lack of pragmatic government policies, even though they are the primary source of remittance. We urge the interim government to take proper initiatives to ensure that manpower exports to Southeast Asian countries, including Malaysia, are conducted in a corruption-free and efficient manner.