Labour export to Malaysia uncertain once again!

–25-agents’ strong syndicate behind the game
-Malaysia shifting eyes on India, Nepal, Indonesia

Special Correspondent: It was said that there would be no syndicate to send workers to Malaysia. All government-registered recruiting agencies will be able to send workers to the Malaysian labor market after three years. Minister for Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Imran Ahmed said this while signing a memorandum of understanding at Putrajaya.
But the Malaysian government was in trouble. He informed in a letter that they will take workers from Bangladesh through the syndicate. And without resolving this issue, the issue of technical assistance between the two countries in manpower export came to the halt. The two countries could not be the same there. As a result, the issue of sending workers quickly even after signing the agreement is still pending. However, officials at the Ministry of Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment said the process would begin soon.
Malaysia, one of the manpower export markets of Bangladesh, was shut down in 2016 due to allegations of corruption and irregularities. It is learned that at that time only 10 agencies were given the opportunity to send worker.
The ten agencies are: Unique Eastern Private Limited, Catharpsis International, Marginal Travels and Tourism Limited, Rabbi International, Al Islam Overseas, Amin Tours and Travels, Career Overseas Consultants Ltd, ISMT Human Resources Development, Passage Associates, Passage Associates, Sanjari International.
Due to this syndicate, even a few years ago, one worker had to spend five to six lakh taka to go to Malaysia. Manpower exports did not go far due to allegations of extra immigration costs and various forms of corruption and irregularities. It was closed in 2016. Then more than three years have passed. After many negotiations, it was learned that the workers could not be sent without a syndicate.
A memorandum of understanding was signed between the two countries in the country’s capital on December 19 last year to send new workers to Malaysia. On behalf of Bangladesh, Minister for Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Imran Ahmed and on behalf of Malaysia, Minister of Human Resources M Sarvanan signed the agreement on behalf of their respective countries. After the agreement, the Minister for Expatriate Welfare returned to the country and told an official press conference that workers could be sent to the country from January.
But on January 14, Malaysian Human Resources Minister M Sarvanan sent a letter to Bangladesh’s Expatriate Welfare Minister Imran Ahmed.
According to the letter, not 25 agencies, Bangladesh will be able to send workers through 250 more agents. Immigrant Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Imran Ahmed immediately objected to Malaysia’s proposal.
Four days later, on January 18, the expatriate welfare minister objected to the return letter and proposed to select the recruiting agency in automatic digital system as per the memorandum of understanding. In response to that letter, the Minister of Human Resources of Malaysia gave another letter to Bangladesh with some reasons and explanation. But Bangladesh could not be satisfied with that interpretation of Malaysia. After that, the Ministry of Expatriate Welfare sent another letter through the Bangladeshi High Commissioner in Malaysia with some suggestions.
Meanwhile, sources said that the Ministry of Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment sent a letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Human Resources through the Bangladesh High Commission in Kuala Lumpur. In the letter, it was written in response to the proposal made by the recruiting agency to send workers through the syndicate, but their proposal is not in line with the memorandum of understanding.

The letter further said that Bangladesh should be involved in the central online system or digitization of the Malaysian government in hiring workers from abroad. But Malaysia has its objections on this issue.
It is learned that no reply has been received so far. Therefore, due to these issues, there has been some uncertainty about sending workers to Malaysia. However, an official of the Ministry of Expatriate Welfare told on condition of anonymity that Bangladesh has requested the Malaysian government to convene a meeting of a joint working group to resolve these issues.
Meanwhile, the Malaysian government is showing interest in hiring workers from India, Nepal and Indonesia. According to reports in various newspapers of the country, a meeting has already been held with India to sign a memorandum of understanding to hire workers in the forestry sector. Industry insiders say Malaysia’s interest in Indian and Indonesian workers in the recruitment issue is sending a different message. He also requested the Minister for Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment to resolve this issue expeditiously.
Ali Haider Chowdhury, former secretary general of Baira, an association of private manpower exporters, said in this regard, “If this problem is not solved now, there is a danger of losing the market.” Because, as the field of work will be created after the Corona epidemic, the demand for workers will also increase. Bangladesh has to move fast in this competition. ‘
In this situation, Malaysia has already completed the process of recruiting worker from Bangladesh. However, the process of sending workers to Bangladesh is not yet visible.
In this context, the Director General of the Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training. Shahidul Alam told, “We are working on the issue. In what process will the worker be hired, how much money will be needed- these issues are being worked on. Because the goal is to reduce the cost of immigration this time.
When will the workers be sent? In response to such a question, the Minister of Foreign Employment Imran Ahmed told the media that work is being done on these issues. The government will take the decision while maintaining the interests of the workers.