Malaysia to recruit 500_000 Bangladeshi workers

Malaysia reopens manpower market for Bangladeshis after a four-year ban_ paving the way for increasing overseas jobs and remittance_ Bangladesh government hopes. The Southeast Asian country has agreed to hire 500_000 Bangladeshi workers over the next five years.

Minister for Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment (EWOE) Imran Ahmad announced Thursday that Malaysia would start hiring workers within this month.

After the signing of agreed minutes of the first Joint Working Group (JWG) meeting_ the minister told that Bangladesh would be able to send more than 200_000 workers to Malaysia over the next one year.

Malaysia will bear most of recruitment charges_ including airfare_ visa and immigration. So_ the cost of migration would decline from the charge that was fixed at BDT 160_000 for Malaysia-bound workers earlier.

The government will fix the cost of migration that will be borne by those who want to go to Malaysia as workers for their different purposes_ like passport and medical-fitness certificates_ in the light of the MoU_ Imran Ahmad said.

Workers will earn MYR 1500 or about Tk 30_000 as monthly wages. Food and accommodation costs will be borne by the employer.

Malaysia_ a vital market for Bangladeshi workers_ signed a fresh deal with Bangladesh on December 19_ 2021 for hiring workers for different sectors. However_ recruitment could not take off due to different tricky factors_ including alleged syndication in the process.