10,000 workers to go to Malaysia free of charge

• Labour market to reopen at prime minister’s request

Bangladeshi workers are getting the opportunity to go to Malaysia at zero migration cost. The Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment has said that Malaysia’s labour market, which had remained closed due to corruption, misgovernance, syndication and irregularities during the fascist regime, is going to reopen through a transparent process. At the special request of the Bangladesh government, the Malaysian authorities have agreed in principle to take 10,000 Bangladeshi workers completely free of charge (zero cost). This information was disclosed in a press release issued by the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment yesterday.

The press release said the 10,000 workers would be sent to Malaysia without any migration costs, including airfare. The first batch of workers will be sent to Malaysia on special chartered flights through the government-owned Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services Limited (BOESL), marking the resumption of sending Bangladeshi workers to the country’s labour market. The initiative has been described in the press release as a major milestone for Bangladeshi workers in the Malaysian labour market. The ministry said in the release that, giving the export of manpower the highest priority, several ministerial-level meetings were held between the two countries, while Prime Minister Mr. Tarique Rahman discussed the issue with Malaysian Prime Minister Mr. Anwar Ibrahim and King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar during his first foreign visit. Through these direct meetings and discussions, the possibility of reopening Malaysia’s labour market for Bangladeshi workers, prioritising Bangladesh’s interests, has been opened.

The ministry said that under the memorandum of understanding signed between Bangladesh and Malaysia on December 18, 2022, the responsibility for selecting Bangladeshi recruiting agencies sending workers to Malaysia was vested solely in the Malaysian government. As the validity of that memorandum of understanding remains in force until December 31 this year, it is not easy for Bangladesh to change the conditions imposed by the Malaysian government. However, the ministry said the current government has held discussions and negotiations with the Malaysian government at the highest level on the issue, adding that ensuring the interests of Bangladesh as well as the welfare and benefits of expatriate workers while maintaining maximum coordination with Malaysia’s own legal requirements and policies is one of the government’s achievements. The release said that as a result of the government’s continuous efforts, the door to employment for Bangladeshis in Malaysia is opening soon.

Meanwhile, at the special request of the Bangladesh government, Malaysian authorities have agreed in principle to take 10,000 workers completely free of charge, or at “zero cost.” The first batch of these workers will be sent to Malaysia on special chartered flights through the government-owned Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services Limited (BOESL), without any migration costs including airfare, thereby reopening the labour market. The ministry said that, according to a decision of the Malaysian government’s Cabinet, 25 recruiting agencies each from Nepal and Bangladesh and 10 each from India, Pakistan and Myanmar have been approved among the five major worker-supplying countries. This is a sovereign decision of the Malaysian government. The 25 recruiting agencies approved for Bangladesh are included in the list of 423 recruiting agencies prepared by the previous interim government. In this context, the Bangladesh government requested that, from among the 423 agencies, those who had benefited in various ways during the fascist government and those involved with syndicates be excluded, while the remaining agencies be given the opportunity to send workers to Malaysia.

The ministry said Malaysia has given Bangladesh this opportunity under special consideration in response to Bangladesh’s continuous requests over the past six months. Under this arrangement, Malaysia has directly selected 25 new Bangladeshi recruiting agencies in accordance with its Cabinet decision and, respecting Bangladesh’s position, is giving another 312 recruiting agencies the opportunity to send workers as “associate recruitment agencies.” In addition, the only government recruiting agency, BOESL, is also getting the opportunity to send workers through this process. As a result, despite the various regulatory restrictions currently in place, the opportunity for a total of 338 Bangladeshi recruiting agencies to send workers to Malaysia simultaneously is being considered a historic achievement. The ministry said the specific process for sending workers to Malaysia is still under way and details will be announced through a notice in due course. Everyone has been urged not to make any financial transactions, undergo medical tests or submit passports until the ministry issues a notice or directive.

Meanwhile, new instructions have been issued regarding the bio-medical health examination process for Bangladeshi workers wishing to go to Malaysia on calling visas. The process of publishing and regularly updating the list of approved medical centres in the labour-sending countries designated by the Malaysian government has begun. Malaysia’s Foreign Workers Centralized Management System (FWCMS) has clearly stated on its website that completing this bio-medical health examination is mandatory as a prerequisite for submitting an e-VDR application for worker recruitment. The published notice said the listed medical centres are registered with the local governments of their respective countries and have undergone the necessary audits by Bestinet Sdn Bhd, the organisation operating Malaysia’s official system. The list will be updated regularly as new diagnostic centres and hospitals are added.

The list of approved medical centres includes Asia Diagnostic and Medical Centre Ltd.: 4 Inner Circular Road, Hotel Asor (1st floor), Fakirapul, Motijheel, Dhaka-1219. Famous Specialized Hospital: House No. #05, Road No.-Main Road, Block-#H, Banasree, Rampura, Dhaka-1219. Global Medicare Diagnostic Centre Ltd.: H-82 (1st floor), Bir Uttam Ziaur Rahman Road, Banani, Dhaka-1213. Human Diagnostic and Medical Centre: 102/1/A, New Paltan, Dhaka. Ibn Omar Medical and Diagnostic Centre: Fahima Tower (2nd floor), 42/43 Purana Paltan, Dhaka-1000. Ideal Diagnostic and Medical Centre: 53 DIT Extension Road, Nayapaltan, Dhaka-1000. Jannah Medical Services: Haji Komor Uddin Tower (ground floor), House-27 (old), Ashkona, Dakshinkhan, Dhaka-1230. Lab Science Diagnostic: 153/1, Green Road, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205. Leading Health Check Up Ltd.: 58 East Hajipara, D.I.T Road, Rampura, Dhaka-1219. Mim Medical Centre: Plot-2185/A, Block-I (Extension), Bashundhara R/A, Madani Avenue, Bhatara, Dhaka-1227. Perfect Medicare Ltd.: 186 Shaheed Syed Nazrul Islam Sarani, 40 Bijoynagar, Dhaka. Pushpa Clinic: Fulu Tower (Levels 4 and 5), House No.-101, Kakoli, Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway, Dhaka-1212. Rajdhani Digital Medical Services Ltd.: 35/C, Kashfia Plaza (4th floor), VIP Road, Nayapaltan, Dhaka-1000. SKN Health Services: 80, Rupayan Karim Tower, Kakrail (2nd floor), Dhaka. Sunlight Diagnostic Centre: 111 Nayapaltan (3rd floor), Dhaka-1000 and Universal Medical College and Hospital Ltd.: 74G/75, Peacock Square, New Airport Road, Mohakhali, Dhaka-1215. The relevant authorities have advised workers going to Malaysia to complete their bio-medical health examinations only at the listed approved centres so that no complications arise in the e-VDR and visa processing.

Meanwhile, Malaysia’s Immigration Department has detained 528 migrants, including 245 Bangladeshis, in simultaneous anti-immigration operations conducted at various locations in the country. They were detained during the “Ops Sasar” operation conducted at eight construction sites from August 25 to Thursday, August 27. A total of 414 officers and personnel from Malaysia’s Immigration Department, National Registration Department, Royal Malaysia Police, National Anti-Drug Agency and Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency took part in the operation.

Datuk Basri Othman, director of Malaysia’s Immigration Enforcement Division, said the raids were conducted based on complaints from local residents and information received from the public. The operations were carried out as concern had grown within local communities over the presence and activities of immigrants in those areas. He said the main objective of the operation was to ensure compliance with immigration laws and identify whether any laws or regulations were being violated. A total of 678 people were screened during the operation. Of them, 528 migrants were detained for various immigration-related offences. The detainees included 450 men and 79 women.