It augurs well that Malaysian government has approved a new phase of hiring worker from Bangladesh, targeting those who were selected but unable to migrate by 31 May, 2024. A large number of Bangladeshi workers could not travel to Malaysia despite depositing money and completing all other necessary formalities. It is not for the fault of the job-seekers, but because of the slip-up or sham practice of some crooked manpower business agencies who, more often than not, con the overseas jobseekers in various ways.
However, this initiative for new intaking of the Bangladeshi labourers will be carried out through Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services Limited (BOESL), with a focus on jobs in the construction and tourism sectors.
This information was disclosed in a revised notice issued on Friday last by the Bangladesh High Commission in Kuala Lumpur stating that the verification process for demand letters has already started, and all necessary documentation must be submitted via Malaysia’s Foreign Workers Centralised Management System (FWCMS) online portal. To complete recruitment process without flaws, Malaysian companies must submit a range of documents, including an authorization letter signed by at least a managerial-level officer, proof of payment of the verification fee and salary slips of some existing employees. Furthermore, a company profile must outline the number of current local and foreign workers, provide details for two to three Bangladeshi employees and include bank statements. The companies have to fulfil a lot more documentation requirements for the sake of transparency in the recruitment process.
It may be recalled that last year as many as 16,970
Bangladeshi workers, despite completing
all formalities and receiving final
clearance, were unable to travel to Malaysia
It may be recalled that last year as many as 16,970 Bangladeshi workers, despite completing all formalities and receiving final clearance, were unable to travel to Malaysia. Among them, some failed to obtain airline tickets, while others did not receive final approval or confirmation from Malaysian employers, who did not send assurance letters confirming their reception at the airport.
After inordinate delays for months together due to administrative hurdles, the resumption of worker dispatch to Malaysia presents a new hope and opportunity for Bangladesh as workers find Malaysia a suitable destination. We endorse the initiative, provided it eliminates informal middlemen and upholds a legal and transparent recruitment process. We also appreciate the efforts on the part of the authorities concerned in Bangladesh as they recommended setting fixed recruitment costs per worker, standardising timelines for medical check and visa approvals and implementing strict verification of recruiting agencies.
Meanwhile, it is learnt that a group of fraudsters has been collecting passports and money from Bangladesh nationals under false promises of employment in Sabah, Malaysia. But there is currently no valid agreement between the government of Bangladesh and the government of Malaysia concerning recruitment for Sabah province.
We will urge the authorities concerned to keep fraudsters at bay so that the jobseekers are not harassed and may go to their job destinations unhindered as they will send remittances which are the sine qua non for the progress of our economy.
