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Malaysia will be sending back around 350,000 Bangladeshi expatriates, who had either migrated through illegal process or have overstayed their visas, expatriates’ welfare minister have said.
Khandker Mosharraf Hossain was speaking at a meeting with Bangladesh Chamber of Industries (BCI) delegates at the Secretariat on Wednesday. “The workers have put the government in a dilemma”, he added, “Some of these workers went to Malaysia on three-year contracts; many earned two-year extensions. However, they will now have to return as they have overstayed their visas.”
Mosharraf went on to say, “These workers can go to Malaysia in future if their employers want them back. The government will also assist them.” The minister said that the government was taking preparations to open labour market in Malaysia and it was trying to increase the contract durations. Initially, they will go for a 10-year contact and later they may renew their contract for additional five years. “The issue will be finalised soon after holding discussions with the Malaysian government representatives.”
BCI president Mohammad Waziullah led the BCI delegation. Labour secretary Nurul Haque was present at the meeting. During the meeting, the BCI representatives urged establishment of high commissions in different countries and to revitalise government’s technical training centres to ensure skilled manpower for future exports. Earlier, Kuwaiti ambassador in Bangladesh Ali Ahmed Al Dafiri met with the labour minister at his office.
They discussed opening the Kuwait market for Bangladeshi labours and scopes for recruitment. The expatriates’ welfare minister visited Malaysia on Dec 12 in a bid to negotiate legalising illegal Bangladeshi migrants. He also negotiated for re-opening the labour market for Bangladeshi workers. A source at the ministry said that the minister will work to enlist Bangladesh as a source country for labours in Malaysia this year. At the same time, he will try to ensure that by April, the country lifts all bans from Bangladeshi workers.
The issue of the illegal migrants also topped prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s agenda during her visit to the country in May last year. Malaysian government promised to resolve
the stalemate.
However, a Malaysian government’s general amnesty declared in June, 2009 halted the process. The pardon had allowed the illegal migrants to return without fines and punishment using their passports or travel passes. Malaysia resumed recruiting Bangladeshi labours in 2007 after a seven-year halt.
However, the worldwide economic recession hit before the labourers had migrated and the Malaysian government had stopped the process. At one stage, the Malaysian government enforced a ban on employing Bangladeshi labours. Ministry statistics revealed that even then, 12,402 workers were able to go to Malaysia in 2009. However, the number fell drastically with only 765 workers going to Malaysia in the first 11 months of 2010. Currently, around 699,461 Bangladeshi labourers work in the country.
