Malaysia to Reopen Labour Market for Bangladesh Workers

Malaysia’s labour market is set to reopen soon for Bangladeshi workers through a transparent recruitment process, the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment said on Thursday.

The ministry said the Malaysian labour market had remained closed to Bangladeshi workers following allegations of corruption, mismanagement, syndication and irregularities during the previous regime.

According to a press release, the issue received top priority through several ministerial-level meetings between Bangladesh and Malaysia.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman also discussed the issue with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar during his first foreign visit.

At Bangladesh’s request, Malaysia has agreed to recruit 10,000 Bangladeshi workers under a “zero-cost” arrangement.

The first batch of workers will be sent on special chartered flights through state-owned Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services Limited (BOESL), with workers not required to bear airfare or other migration-related costs.

The ministry said Malaysia has directly selected 25 Bangladeshi recruiting agencies and authorised another 312 agencies to operate as associate recruitment agencies.

The agencies were screened by a high-level Malaysian joint committee comprising representatives from relevant ministries, the Anti-Corruption Commission and law enforcement agencies, with no involvement from the Bangladesh government, according to the ministry.

The ministry urged prospective workers not to make any payments, undergo medical tests or submit their passports until an official notice is issued.

It also warned people to remain cautious of brokers and fraudulent groups seeking money by claiming they can arrange employment in Malaysia.