Rights body urges syndicate-free hiring as expatriate adviser visits Malaysia

The Bangladesh Civil Society for Migrants (BCSM), a network of 23 organisations, has called on the government to urge Malaysia to recruit Bangladeshi workers through the same open process it follows for 14 other labour-sending countries – without relying on a syndicate.

The appeal came in a statement issued yesterday, following a stakeholders' dialogue, as Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul is currently visiting Malaysia to discuss the reopening of the country's labour market.

"The key objective of the delegation is to persuade the Malaysian government to adopt a non-syndicated recruitment process for Bangladeshi workers, as it does for other nations," said BCSM Chairperson Dr Tasneem Siddiqui in the statement. "Reducing migration costs and ensuring job security will also be among the top priorities."

The BCSM noted that before the syndicate system was introduced, several internationally compliant Malaysian companies had directly recruited Bangladeshi workers, often under the 'Employers Pay' model.

"Due to the syndicate, these companies can no longer recruit. The illegal fees imposed by the syndicate deprive Bangladeshi workers of decent job opportunities," the statement said.

Following a 2021 memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Dhaka and Kuala Lumpur allowed only 100 Bangladeshi recruiting agencies to send workers – a move widely criticised as fostering a corrupt syndicate. The resulting migration costs reportedly soared to as much as Tk6 lakh per worker. In June 2023, Malaysia suspended recruitment from Bangladesh, citing corruption and mismanagement.

To enable Bangladesh's participation in a future syndicate-free labour market, the BCSM suggested that the chief adviser send a formal letter to the Malaysian prime minister, requesting the removal of a specific clause in the current MoU.

Asif Nazrul arrived in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday. Yesterday, he met Bangladeshi workers who have reportedly been victims of forced labour. He is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with Malaysia's home minister and human resources minister today.

After assuming office, the interim government launched an investigation into the alleged recruitment syndicate. In October 2024, the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment initiated a preliminary probe under the Anti-Human Trafficking Act. 

Based on the findings, the government requested Malaysia to interrogate and repatriate two individuals linked to the network. Despite inquiries by Malaysia's home ministry, progress has remained slow.

BCSM stressed that the issue demands urgent resolution and expressed hope that appropriate action could pave the way for a new, transparent MoU.

"The syndicate was formed by associates of the former autocratic regime," the statement added. "Now, believing that the BNP will return to power, the syndicate leaders are attempting to form a new alliance involving influential BNP figures."