Anisur Rahman Khan :
Uncertainty looms over sending Bangladeshi workers to Malaysia even though Malaysian employers got the clearance of their government to hire more than two lakh foreign workers.
Besides, Bangladesh and Malaysia are yet to finalise the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of hiring migrants from Bangladesh.
As a result, it is delaying the full process and frustration sweeping the interested Bangladeshi migrants.
The Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry of Bangladesh wants to allow all valid agencies to send migrants to the country under its supervision so that no one can create further syndication depriving the other valid agencies and pocketing additional profit charging higher.
The date of Joint Working Group (JWG) meeting hasn’t yet finalized the SOP in presence of the representatives of the two countries even three months after signing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), said Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry officials.
However, the governments of the two countries signed the MoU on December 19 last year to hire around 15 lakh Bangladeshi migrants to the country after around four years.
Malaysia suspended recruiting workers from Bangladesh in 2018, but the deal paved the way for reopening the market for Bangladeshi workers after four years.
According to the sources in the ministry and international recruiting agencies, the recruitment process still remains suspended as the Malaysian authorities want to hire Bangladeshi migrants through a limited number of Bangladeshi Recruiting Agents (BRA).
The number is not more than 25. The syndicate of agencies will work along with some 250 agencies which will work as sub-agents.
A syndicate comprising Bangladeshi origin Malaysian businessman Amin Bin Abdun Nur and two other Bangladeshi businessmen including Ruhul Amin Swapan are misleading Malaysian government into further syndication giving illegal benefits to the authorities, they claimed.
Bangladesh also wants to ensure prestigious migration of its overseas jobseekers with necessary facilities at minimum fees like the other 14 workers-sending source countries including Indonesia, Nepal, Bhutan and India.
Due to the stance of the Bangladeshi authorities, Malaysia postponed the JWG meeting convened in February and an official tour of its interior minister scheduled in the month.
Regarding the obstacles and progress in reopening the market, Bangladesh’s Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Imran Ahmed told The New Nation last week that there was no progress on the matter as the Malaysian authorities were not responding properly.
“We are ready to send migrant workers but they are not giving time to hold the JWG meeting for finalising the SOP. There might be some reasons for their silence on the issue. However, we are not worried as almost one lakh people are leaving the country for Middle East with overseas employment. We will stick to our decision,” he added.
He also said Bangladesh wouldn’t allow any syndicate that could manipulate the market again.
“We are observing the situation. If they want to hire people, we will follow the standard procedures maintained by the other worker sending countries,” he further added.
When contacted, former BAIRA Secretary General Ali Haider Chowdhury, a leader of anti-syndication movement, told this correspondent that the market can be opened only after finalization of the SOP to make the MoU functional.
But, the two governments haven’t yet taken any steps to finalize the SOP.
“The syndicate is influencing Malaysian government to hire Bangladeshi migrants through 25 agencies to pocket a huge amount of money. To ensure it, they paid millions of dollars to authorities concerned,” he said.
However, the Malaysian employers are hiring foreign workers from other 14 source countries giving chance to all agencies. Why is Bangladesh not getting the same facilities? Syndicate is only the reason. It’s scandalous, he observed.
Ali Haider said, “We had to wait a long time to reopen the market due to the syndication. Huge number of people failed to get a job in Malaysia last time due to the syndicate. Thousands of people haven’t yet got their money back from the syndicate after failing to travel. They have pocketed the money.”
“Bangladesh’s Ruhul Amin Swapan and his ally Malaysian businessman Amin Bin Abdun Nur are allegedly behind the syndication. Country’s recruiting agencies want to do fair business by sending migrants with dignity and transparency. Bangladesh also cleared its stance on syndication issue and sent letters to Malaysia for allowing all valid agencies to send migrants rejecting their proposal,” he added.
He demanded scope to send migrants following the same method followed by 14 other source countries.
While talking to The New Nation, Managing Director of Cathersis International Ruhul Amin Swapan, also a former secretary general of BAIRA, blamed the syndication and claimed that they are not trying to create further syndicate in this sector. They want to reopen the market at any cost so that the Bangladeshi migrants can get overseas jobs.
“Nonetheless, Malaysian authorities don’t want to allow all agencies in the process considering the previous situation. The Malaysian market was opened five times in fast. But, some of the agencies created chaos and destroyed its. As a result, Malaysia suspended the market,” he said.
“Considering the situation, they want to hire migrants through a limited number of agencies to control the market and mismanagement.”
He claimed, “It’s not our concern, rather it’s their concern. As per their conditions, limited agencies will send the migrants. Other agencies will work under those to send migrants in a disciplined manner. They had developed a method. Everyone will have to send migrants following the method. If it’s a syndicate, it’s their concern, not ours. We want the market open, so that thousands of migrants can get job.”
Regarding quick reopening of the market, he said, “We welcome the government’s initiatives to send migrants following the MoU. If the government wants, we the major stakeholders can contribute here. If the government assists us, the market will be reopened soon.”
