Govt working to reopen Malaysian labor market transparently: Secretary

The government is working to reopen Malaysia’s labour market through a fully transparent process, Secretary of the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Md Mokhtar Ahmed said on Wednesday.

Md Mokhtar Ahmed also stated that the issue has been treated with utmost importance and several ministerial-level meetings have already been held between Bangladesh and Malaysia on this issue, according to a press release.

Furthermore, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman raised the issue during bilateral discussions with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar during his first overseas visit, according to a press release issued by the ministry.

The secretary made the remarks while receiving a memorandum from former members of the Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA) at the ministry’s conference room in Dhaka. The BAIRA representatives presented specific demands regarding the reopening of the Malaysian labor market.

Their demands included granting equal opportunities to all valid and qualified recruiting agencies, including the 312 listed agencies. They also called for an end to syndicates and monopolies, a significant reduction in migration costs, full transparency in recruitment, opening the process to all eligible medical centres and introducing a one-stop service through the Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services Limited (BOESL).

The secretary assured the representatives that their demands would be taken seriously and placed before the higher authorities for review.

He also noted that the process of reopening the Malaysian labor market is currently underway. However, he urged all concerned to remain alert so that intermediaries could not exploit the opportunity.

The ministry maintains a strict stance to protect workers from brokers and fraudulent syndicates, he said.

The press release said a mobile court had already sealed the office of Triple A Overseas, imposed a fine and seized three boxes of passports over alleged illegal and fraudulent activities.

The secretary further said administrative procedures were underway to determine the specific process through which workers would begin travelling to Malaysia.

The ministry would officially announce accurate and confirmed information about the process through a notice at the appropriate time, he added.