WHILE the economic impasse is entrapping Bangladesh, the good news of legalizing illegal Bangladeshi migrant workers in Malaysia has come as a relief to the nation. As per the report carried by The New Nation, three lakh Bangladeshi nationals are among two million undocumented foreign workers in Malaysia who will get valid work permits from February 15 – a news that the families of the illegal workers here in Bangladesh were waiting for long. We welcome the move and hope that workers who were having very difficult time would be at peace and work routinely now to take care of themselves and their families back home.
While Bangladesh’s remittance inflows show a decreasing trend in the current fiscal marred with falling revenue of oil producing Middle Eastern nations where Bangladeshi nationals work in large number, the news from KL is definitely welcoming. More remittance from Malaysia will now contribute to revamp the rural economy when remittance from oil producing countries is on decline. The Malaysian government decision shows that Bangladesh government may also take vigorous diplomatic moves with other nations in the Middle-East where manpower exports are on temporary halt to reopen those markets. The Bangladeshi migrant workers in Malaysia should be more responsible now in their works and deeds and to satisfy the Malaysian government and their employers.
According to media reports, a total of 296,934 Bangladeshi migrants are legally working in Malaysia while around 300,000 are staying illegally who are now going to be documented and get valid work permits under the new “rehiring” programme. Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia has recently said they will implement the concept in phases to gauge the new programme’s effectiveness which will ensures registration of workers online, without relying on agents. Prime Minister Najib Razak has announced that the programme would allow illegal foreign workers to be given valid work permits and the authorities to better monitor their numbers for security.
In 2011, Malaysia introduced an amnesty scheme allowing all illegal immigrants to be registered. About 1.3 million workers came forward at that time and 500,000 received work permits, while 330,000 were repatriated to the country of origin. About half a million who registered subsequently failed to show up later to be legalized fearing deportation. The authorities then launched a crackdown on illegal workers sending them home. The renewed amnesty will settle them and Malaysian economy will also enormously benefit from it.
Malaysian government should now ensure workplace safety most importantly human care to workers including regular payments and health insurance benefits. It is a good start for those who will become partners of Malaysian prosperity from now with this legalization by working hard for their host country.
