Tarique Rahman met labour tycoon Amin on Malaysia trip: Bloomberg

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman met Bangladeshi-Malaysian businessman Aminul Islam, widely known as Amin, during his recent visit to Kuala Lumpur, Bloomberg has reported.

The meeting reportedly took place during Rahman's official visit to Malaysia last month, where he held bilateral talks with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and urged Kuala Lumpur to reopen its labour market to Bangladeshi workers after a two-year suspension. 

Neither Tarique Rahman’s office, nor Anwar Ibrahim’s office however confirmed this to Bloomberg.

According to Bloomberg, Malaysia is evaluating a new recruitment platform developed by Bestinet, the company founded by Amin. The proposed system is intended to replace the existing Foreign Workers Centralised Management System (FWCMS) and promises to streamline recruitment while reducing costs and limiting the role of intermediaries. 

The proposal, however, has drawn scrutiny because of Amin's central role in Malaysia's migrant worker recruitment industry.

Bloomberg reported earlier this year that Bangladeshi authorities had accused Amin of playing a key role in a recruitment system that allegedly extracted excessive fees from workers seeking jobs in Malaysia. 

Amin has denied wrongdoing and has not been charged with any offence. 

Malaysia remains one of Bangladesh's most important overseas labour destinations. More than 800,000 Bangladeshishave travelled to Malaysia for work over the past decade, making them one of the country's largest foreign worker groups. 

Most are employed in manufacturing, construction, plantations, agriculture and services, sectors that continue to rely heavily on migrant labour. 

The labour corridor has nevertheless been marred by repeated allegations of debt bondage, forced labour and excessive recruitment fees. Malaysia suspended fresh recruitment from Bangladesh in 2024 after hundreds of workers arrived only to discover that the jobs they had been promised did not exist, leaving many stranded or forced into irregular employment. 

During Rahman's visit, both governments agreed on the need for a more transparent recruitment system that protects migrant workers and curbs exploitation. The Bangladeshi premier also requested the regularisation of undocumented workers and the repatriation of detained Bangladeshis. 

Whether Malaysia ultimately adopts Bestinet's proposed platform remains uncertain. Bloomberg reported that the proposal is still under review and will require approval from the Malaysian government before any new recruitment system can be implemented. 

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