Chairman of parliamentary standing committee on expatriates' welfare and overseas employment ministry, Anisul Islam Mahmud, has said an inclusive policy has to be formulated for the overseas labour market as it is the number one foreign currency earning sector.
"The inclusive policy has to be made not only for labour migration to Malaysia but for entire labour market," said the Jatiya Party lawmaker while speaking as the chief guest at a meeting to exchange views, organised by BAIRA Combined Democratic Front (BAIRA Sammilito Gonotantrik Jote) at Sonargaon hotel in the capital on Tuesday afternoon.
He also said Malaysia is a prospective country for Bangladesh as the Southeast Asian country needs a huge number of labourers for its plantation and palm oil sector.
Anisul Islam Mahmud said the labour migration has to be low cost, safe and migrants have to be paid due wages.
The government signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) the Malaysian government on 19 2021. Earlier, Malaysia halted hiring labour from Bangladesh in 2018 citing irregularities in the recruiting process.
However, following the diplomatic efforts by the government, Malaysia agreed to recruit migrants.
But when the Malaysian government moved to recruit labour through a total of 25 recruiting agencies against over 1,500 approved agencies, a section of recruiting agencies protested against the move under the banner of The 'Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (Baira) Syndicate Birodhi Mohajote'.
"Being the chairman of the parliamentary standing committee, I have attended the meetings of both the groups as I want to listen. The market has to be opened and the policy has to be fixed. If we want to make a system, everyone has to cooperate," Anisul Islam Mahmud said.
Criticising the recruiting agents, he said, "The recruiting agencies have a responsibility that does not finish simply after sending the migrants. This is a matter of their livelihood."
The JaPa lawmaker said the dollar price is 95 taka in the kerb market and the government provides only two and half per cent incentives for sending remittance through the formal channel. So will the migrants feel encouraged to send remittance through the formal channels, he asked.
Terming the government's contribution to the overseas employment sector very little, Anisul Islam Mahmud said the overseas employment is number one in earning foreign currency if the net value is considered.
He said the 50 per cent of earnings in the garment sector goes to the foreign countries due to the import of cotton, raw materials and machinery.
Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA) leaders also spoke at the meeting and demanded opening of the labour market to Malaysia soon as it will increase overseas employment and bring remittance, boosting the foreign exchange reserve.