Malaysia Reopens Labour Market

The government expects to resume sending Bangladeshi workers to Malaysia without migration costs as early as August or September, the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment announced on Tuesday (July 7).

According to officials, progress has been made in reopening the labour market following Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's visit to Malaysia on June 21.

The recruitment process will undergo a significant change under the new arrangement. Instead of Malaysia, Bangladesh will be responsible for selecting recruiting agencies. The move is expected to reduce syndicates and corruption while ensuring a more transparent and accountable recruitment system.

Officials believe that close coordination between the government and recruiting agencies will help maintain the long-term stability of the labour market. However, they cautioned that failure to ensure transparency and prevent irregularities could once again disrupt the export of Bangladeshi manpower to Malaysia.