Bangladesh hopes to resume sending workers to Malaysia from December, with the first two to three flights carrying workers free of charge and migration costs for others expected to range between Tk2.5 lakh and Tk3 lakh, Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury has said.
Speaking to journalists after a meeting with recruiting agencies at the Expatriates’ Welfare Ministry in Dhaka’s Eskaton today (5 November), the minister said the government was working to bring down migration costs and ensure that workers did not have to pay for the initial departures.
“InshaAllah, we hope to start the process from December,” he said.
“We want workers to start travelling in December. The first two or three flights should carry workers free of charge. Alongside this, the process for meeting other recruitment demands will also begin,” he added.
The minister said the government was working to bring in job demands from Malaysia as soon as possible. Recruitment notices would be published online, allowing applicants to submit applications through the platform, with workers selected through an online lottery.
“Workers will not have to pay a single taka for the free departures. We have waived all service charges in the country,” he said.
For workers going through private recruiting agencies, the migration cost could be between Tk2.5 lakh and Tk3 lakh, he added. Most agencies had proposed keeping the cost within this range during discussions with the government.
Ariful said the government wanted to reduce the cost further, ideally keeping it within Tk2.5 lakh per worker, so that ordinary people could benefit.
Recalling irregularities and unpleasant experiences during previous recruitment drives, the minister said the Malaysia-bound labour market had become difficult to manage because of competing interests.
“Just hearing about Malaysia gives me a fever. Because, just as cancer spreads, the Malaysia issue is spreading in the same way. It is difficult to understand who is on whose side and who is in whose pocket,” he said.
All licensed agencies to get opportunities
The minister said the government was trying to ensure that all recruiting agencies holding valid licences could participate in sending workers to Malaysia, rather than limiting the process to a selected group.
Responding to proposals that around 300 agencies be allowed to recruit workers for Malaysia, Ariful said he was still working to create opportunities for all agencies under the ministry.
“A new MoU will be signed on 31 December. InshaAllah, please be patient so that everyone can conduct business in the proper way,” he said.
He stressed that the overseas employment sector should not remain under the control of a handful of families, with spouses and relatives operating multiple businesses and limiting opportunities for smaller and new entrepreneurs.
Entrepreneurs from middle- and lower-income families should also have opportunities to establish recruiting businesses, he added.
Agencies urged to protect migrants’ interests
The minister urged recruiting agencies to improve service quality, act responsibly and earn the trust of aspiring migrant workers instead of prioritising excessive profits.
“The reputation or disrepute of this ministry depends on you [recruiting agencies]. You have the power to change the fate of this nation,” he said.
Ariful called on agencies not to exploit migrants for higher profits, stressing that their interests should come first. The government wants all agencies to operate in compliance with regulations and will support them in doing so, he added.
He also questioned why some manpower recruitment agencies were operating travel businesses despite holding licences for overseas employment, saying companies should remain within their authorised areas.
The minister also outlined requirements for verifying recruitment demands, saying agencies must submit job demands to the Bangladesh embassy in the destination country and obtain attestation from the host country’s Ministry of Human Resources.
“Bringing a demand is not enough. You have to submit it to our embassy in that country and get it attested by its Ministry of Human Resources. Otherwise, it may happen that you bring a demand for 100 workers from a company, but jobs are available for only 50. Who will take responsibility for the remaining 50?” he said.
On medical examinations, the minister said the government had finalised a list of medical centres and teams were visiting different locations to conduct tests. The fee has been fixed at Tk8,000, he added.
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