Malaysia to Reopen Jobs Market for Bangladeshis

Malaysia has agreed in principle to reopen its labour market for Bangladeshi workers and work towards reducing migration costs, following high-level bilateral talks between the two countries.

The understanding was reached at a meeting in Putrajaya on Wednesday, where both sides discussed the resumption of worker recruitment and measures to ensure a fairer, more transparent and ethical migration system.

According to an official statement, Bangladesh and Malaysia agreed to speed up the process of reopening the labour market based on sector-specific demand and to address long-standing concerns over excessive recruitment costs and irregularities.

Bangladesh’s Labour and Employment and Expatriates’ Welfare Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury, accompanied by Prime Minister’s Adviser Mahdi Amin, visited Malaysia to hold discussions on labour migration issues.

During the visit, the Bangladeshi delegation also met Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Bangladesh High Commissioner to Malaysia was also present at the meeting.

At the meeting, Prime Minister Anwar congratulated Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on his election and invited him to visit Malaysia at a convenient time.

The two sides held detailed discussions on labour relations and reaffirmed their commitment to preventing worker exploitation by ensuring a transparent, accountable and effective recruitment process.

They also discussed expanding bilateral trade and investment, while expressing interest in strengthening economic cooperation between the two countries.

In addition, both sides explored opportunities to deepen people-to-people ties through academic exchanges, institutional partnerships and cooperation in the education sector.

Earlier in the day, a formal bilateral meeting on labour migration was held in a cordial and constructive atmosphere. The Malaysian side was led by Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Ramanan Ramakrishnan, while the Bangladeshi delegation was led by Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury.

In a joint statement issued after the meeting, both countries reaffirmed their long-standing partnership in labour migration and pledged to strengthen cooperation through a transparent, inclusive and practical framework.

The statement said the framework would focus on resolving existing recruitment challenges while ensuring safe, orderly and regular migration.

Both countries also agreed to reduce the role of middlemen and lower migration costs by removing structural barriers, engaging credible and qualified recruitment agencies, and speeding up the deployment of stranded workers.

Malaysia also shared its plan to introduce a technology-driven, AI-based recruitment system for all labour-sending countries.

The proposed system is aimed at reducing intermediaries, cutting migration costs and ensuring that employers bear the full cost of recruitment, in line with the International Labour Organization’s principle that “the employer pays”.

If implemented effectively, the system could significantly reduce or even eliminate migration costs for workers.

Bangladesh expressed full support for the initiative and said it is ready to cooperate in implementing such a digital recruitment platform as part of a broader global framework for labour migration.

The two sides also discussed concerns surrounding ongoing legal cases related to human trafficking in labour recruitment.

Malaysia stressed the importance of addressing any false or harmful activities that could affect its international reputation, while Bangladesh reaffirmed its commitment to the rule of law, accountability, due process and timely justice.

They also exchanged views on the challenges faced by irregular workers and discussed ways to better align labour supply with market demand through improved training, skills development, certification and information sharing.

The latest development is expected to bring renewed hope for thousands of Bangladeshi workers seeking employment opportunities in Malaysia.