Jamaat protests “syndicate” to send workers to Malaysia

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami on Sunday strongly protested what it alleged was a vested quarter inside the government is active to create a syndicate with a limited number of recruiting agencies to send Bangladeshi workers to Malaysia.

“A vested group in the government has recently engaged in activities against the country's interests by bringing several recruiting agencies under a syndicate to export labour outside the country,” said Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar in a statement.

He said this move has caused widespread frustration among the common members of Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA).

“I strongly condemn and protest against all decisions and initiatives of the government that are against the interests of foreign remittance fighters and Bangladeshi citizens,” he said.

According to various sources, two days ago, the governments of the two countries (Malaysia and Bangladesh) have in fact created a syndicate-based labor market system by selecting only 25 recruiting agencies and giving them the opportunity to send workers, said the Jamaat leader.

Citing that Malaysia’s labour market is extremely important for Bangladeshis, he said it is the moral responsibility of the government to protect Bangladeshi migrants’ interests, ensuring a safe working environment, stopping harassment and ensuring financial security there.

He warned that a similar system in the past, involving a limited number of agencies, had led to excessive charges being collected from common workers and caused suffering to thousands of migrant workers.

“This time too, there is a fear that a worker may have to spend Tk 600,000 to Tk 700,000 to go to Malaysia, which will be a huge burden for a common worker and his family,” he said.

The Jamaat leader urged the government to take strong and effective measures to protect the interests of migrant workers, ensure their safety and allow them to enter overseas labour markets at lower costs.

Citing that Bangladesh has more than 2,000 licensed recruiting agencies, Golam Parwar asked the government to ensure open, transparent and equal opportunities for BAIRA members and recruiting agencies with good track records to break the alleged syndicate of 25 agencies.