C T Online Desk: The round of meetings with Bangladeshi authorities centering on migrant workers was a fruitful one, said Malaysia’s human resources minister.
“The discussion revolved around various issues on the welfare and wellbeing of migrant workers from Bangladesh to Malaysia,” Datuk Seri M Saravanan said in a Facebook post late on Thursday.
Earlier in the day, he sat with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Imran Ahmad.
Saravanan added that both countries pledged to safeguard the welfare of workers in Malaysia.
“Both Malaysia and Bangladesh are committed to protecting the interests of workers, based on international standards,” he added.
During his courtesy call to the prime minister, the latter expressed her optimism that both sides would be able to devise ways to ensure safe, regular, inexpensive, and orderly employment of Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia.
The premier also expressed deep satisfaction over the holding of the first meeting of the Joint Working Group (JWD) under the auspices of the MoU on the employment of workers signed in December 2021 between the two countries.
Saravanan then said Bangladesh could earn $45 billion in next five years with more than 500,000 expatriate workers in Malaysia.
However, before flying to Dhaka, the Malaysian minister on Wednesday said the demand for Bangladeshi workers is not as high as it used to be as some sectors have turned to other nationalities for their manpower needs.
Separately, he questioned the Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (Baira)’s criticism of Malaysia’s proposal to appoint only 25 Bangladesh Recruitment Agencies and 250 sub-agents.
About 1,300 recruitment agencies from Bangladesh on Tuesday threatened to hold a huge protest if only 25 firms are allowed to supply foreign labour.
Saravanan reportedly said in January that he only appointed 25 agencies and 250 sub-agents instead of the close to 1,600 agencies as Baira requested because he did not want Malaysia to be turned into a “dumping ground”.
The two countries had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on December 19 in Kuala Lumpur, although details were kept under wraps.
‘No protests’
Saravanan has dismissed reports of a protest in Dhaka, saying that he was well-received during his recent working visit to the capital on matters related to the recruitment of migrant workers, reports The Star.
“There was no protest in Dhaka,” he said while describing the news reports as mere speculation.
“I was well-received by Dhaka. In 24 hours, I met the (Bangladeshi) PM, labour, home and finance ministers. That is as warm a welcome as any minister can get within a day to see four (ministers),” he added.
According to news reports, Saravanan was met by a group of demonstrators in front of the Bangladesh expatriates’ welfare and overseas employment ministry during his visit on Thursday. They apparently called themselves the “anti-syndicate movement.”
The group had previously voiced objections to Malaysia’s proposal to appoint only 25 agencies to supply workers to Malaysia as they claimed that the move would pave the way for syndication.
Saravanan said Bangladesh had laid down a condition that Malaysia will have to select 25 agencies from a list of 1,520.
He said a committee had vetted the list and selected 25 agencies.
