Bangladesh Plans to Send 10,000 Workers to Malaysia

Bangladesh has taken steps to resume sending workers to Malaysia after a prolonged suspension of recruitment. Labour and Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury said around 10,000 Bangladeshi workers will initially get the opportunity to travel to Malaysia.

Speaking to reporters at a press conference at the Secretariat on Sunday (October 4), the minister said the new recruitment process would focus not only on the number of workers but also on their skills. Workers will be trained in Bangladesh according to the requirements of Malaysian employers.

The minister said Malaysia plans to recruit 10,000 workers in the first phase. The government is considering sending these workers free of charge as part of the initial process. Later, workers will be recruited through Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services Limited (BOESL) and authorised recruiting agencies based on demand from Malaysian employers.

Under the new system, the required number and type of workers will first be determined according to the needs of Malaysian employers. Training will then be arranged in Bangladesh to prepare workers for the specific jobs.

The minister said sending workers without adequate training could expose them to difficulties after arriving abroad. Therefore, the government intends to ensure the necessary skills before workers are sent to Malaysia.

Ariful Haque Chowdhury said Malaysian employers will travel to Bangladesh to select workers according to their requirements. Those selected will subsequently be sent to Malaysia.

However, the full recruitment process has not yet begun. Several approvals, including those related to medical examinations, are still pending. Further steps will be taken once Malaysia finalises its manpower requirements and related procedures.

The previous recruitment process to Malaysia faced allegations of syndicates, excessive costs and harassment of workers. The government says these past experiences will be taken into consideration to make the new recruitment process more cautious and transparent.

The minister also said the government is working to expand employment opportunities within Bangladesh. An ‘Employment Exchange Centre’ is planned to be launched this year to create a database connecting jobseekers with employers through both online and direct channels.

The initiative will also include identifying workforce requirements in industries and organising job and career fairs at colleges and universities to identify potential employees.

The minister further said steps would be taken to form a Wage Board within this month after consultations with relevant stakeholders.