FE Report
The government will issue show cause notices to 10 manpower recruiting agencies for their alleged syndication in sending the workers to Malaysia, said the expatriates' welfare minister on Tuesday.
"We will issue show cause notices to the manpower recruiters who are involved with malpractice in sending the workers to Malaysia," Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Nurul Islam BSc said while speaking at a meet-the-press event.
Reporters for Bangladeshi Migrants (RBM) organised the programme at Prabashi Kalyan Bhaban in the city.
RBM President Firoj Manna presided over the programme moderated by its General Secretary Masudul Haque.
The minister also said the Malaysian government did not close its door on manpower recruitment from Bangladesh.
The Malaysian authorities concerned will stop only the existing online recruitment process named 'Sistem Pengambilan Pekerja Asing (SPPA)' from September 01, he added.
The workers who have already completed all the procedures will be allowed to go to Malaysia, he said.
"We are always against syndication. Such monopoly system developed from the Malaysian end," he claimed.
Replying to a query, the minister said a meeting is scheduled to be held shortly between the Bangladesh embassy in Malaysia and the Malaysian authorities concerned to discuss recent
developments.
Responding to another question about return of women domestic helps from Saudi Arabia, Mr Islam said they did not dismiss the allegations of torture and sexual harassment of female workers.
Language problem and food habit are also reasons for their return, he added.
Secretary of the ministry Namita Halder said about 25,000 to 30,000 workers are now waiting to go to Malaysia.
The Malaysian government has halted the exiting manpower hiring system through government-to-government (G-to-G) plus arrangements recently.
An organised syndicate of 10 agents, led by a Bangladeshi businessman having alleged political connections with the Malaysian home ministry, raked in at least two billion Malaysian ringgits (around Tk 40 billion) from Bangladeshi workers in just two years, Malaysian newspaper The Star reported on June 22.
About 0.2 million Bangladeshi workers went to Malaysia through SPPA since the signing of G-to-G plus deal in 2016.
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