When the government is trying to revive the labour market in Malaysia, some dishonest owners of manpower recruiting agencies are busy creating syndicates to dominate the market.
They are trying to put the Bangladeshi workers and the labour market in Malaysia in jeopardy once again by creating syndicates.
Sources said that the image of Bangladesh and its labourers are being tarnished in the Malaysian labour market due to the ill-motive of these manpower recruiting agencies. A former leader of the Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA) is also allegedly involved in creating syndicate.
Experts say as a labour market, Malaysia has the immense potential for Bangladeshi workers. There is an opportunity for further expansion of the labour market in Malaysia. Since the government is sincere in this regard, the authorities concerned are trying to tap this opportunity through various ways, including diplomatic activities.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, during his recent visit to Dhaka held a meeting with the Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus. At the meeting, the Malaysia PM assured the Chief Adviser of hiring more Bangladeshi workers.
But experts said that if those corrupt and dishonest recruiting
agencies and as well as those unscrupulous former BAIRA leaders are not brought to book or action is not taken against those agencies, the government efforts may go in vain. Not only that there may also be a negative impact on the labour market.
A total of 4,75,500 Bangladeshi workers recently went to Malaysia in lust 22 months and they sent about $3.5 billion to Bangladesh as remittance in the last three years.
But, all of a sudden on May 31 last, Malaysia had stopped recruitment of Bangladeshi workers.
In a major development, Malaysian government has now decided to hire more workers from Bangladesh.
Experts said that if the labour market is opened once again, the country's remittances will increase and our workers will be able to make an important contribution to the Malaysian economy. But, the labour market is still under threat due to the existence of syndicate.
The owners of different recruiting agencies and several members of BAIRA alleged, former joint general secretary of BAIRA Fakhrul Islam, along with the owners of some recruiting agencies, are allegedly trying to create a syndicate to dominate the labour market.
As part of their ill attempt, they are spreading propaganda about the domestic labor market in Malaysia.
It is reported that at least 10 syndicates, including Fakrul's one, have long been privileged beneficiaries of the labour recruitment trade in Malaysia.
It is widely known to all that Fakhrul used his own medical center 'Welcome Medical' in the name of health check-up of 70,000 Malaysia-bound workers and pocketed crores of taka from them.
Moreover, he has at least two licences among the 101 listed agencies with licences which he runs under the name of others. Besides, he also has multiple co-partner agencies, which are registered with the name of his associates.
Expatriate Bangladeshis alleged that Fakhrul is pushing the labour market of Bangladesh towards destruction by spreading misleading information through various means to achieve his own interests. As these propagandas have been circulated in Malaysia, it is feared that potential employers in that country might turn away from Bangladeshi workers.
Bangladesh Post correspondent tried to contact Fakhrul several times over phone, but he did not receive the call.
Later, this correspondent sent him SMS seeking his comment but he not reply.
Fakhrul, however, told the media that he was not involved in any syndicate, rather he is vocal against syndicate.
He also claimed that as a businessman, he has right to export manpower to Malaysia.
