The government is actively working to quickly resume sending Bangladeshi workers to Malaysia, Prime Minister’s Adviser for Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Mahdi Amin said on Sunday, adding that Malaysian authorities have invited Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to visit Kuala Lumpur.
“The current government is committed to improving the living standards of expatriates. We have taken initiatives to ensure sending workers at low cost and through a transparent process,” Mahdi Amin told a briefing at the Secretariat.
He said Malaysian authorities have been asked to take necessary measures to ensure no syndicate operates in the recruitment process. Both governments are positive on the matter, he added.
The adviser and Labour and Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury returned from a three-day visit to Malaysia on Saturday. It was the first trip to discuss the labour market after the new government took office.
During the visit, they met Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and held bilateral meetings with the human resources and higher education ministers.
Responding to a question about “credible recruitment agencies”, Mahdi Amin clarified that this is not an initiative to create a new syndicate. “By credible or qualified, we mean those who will conduct recruitment in a corruption-free, transparent process. Through this, we want to gradually reduce migration costs.”
On legal cases involving Bangladeshi workers, he said the democratic government believes in the rule of law. “Those who are criminals, those involved in corruption or wrongdoing, will be punished through legal process. Likewise, those who are innocent will receive justice.”
The adviser noted that Bangladeshi workers have played an extraordinary role in Malaysia’s development journey, and he requested Kuala Lumpur to give Bangladesh special consideration.
Mahdi Amin also revealed that this year, for the first time, expatriate Bangladeshis have voted, fulfilling an electoral promise of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. “In light of that, we will start the expatriate card, Inshallah. We will stand by every expatriate brother and sister,” he said.
The Malaysian prime minister has extended good wishes to Tarique Rahman and invited him to visit Malaysia, expressing confidence that all problems can be resolved through joint efforts, Mahdi Amin added.
