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Download PDF The manpower export to Malaysia seems to be in trouble again following some allegations against Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (Baira) both at home and in the Southeast Asian country.
Operation of Baira office in Kuala Lumpur was suspended on orders from the Malaysian home ministry after a number of employers had accused Baira President MAH Salim of trying to influence them to issue more job orders in favour of his agency.
Meanwhile, some recruiting agencies here in Dhaka have complained to the government that Baira charges an additional Tk 30,000 per worker without giving any receipt, sources at Baira said.
As a result, manpower export to the country has yet to begin though it was scheduled to start by early August.
MAH Salim MP is currently in Malaysia and could not be contacted for comments.
However, at a press conference at the Dhaka Reporters Unity late August, he denied the allegation that he had been charging more than the agreed amount for sending workers to the fast-developing country. Besides, he assured that the agencies will charge no more than Tk 84,000.
According to an agreement between Bangladesh and Malaysia, agencies will charge Tk 84,000 for each worker going to the latter, but the cost now is over Tk 1.5 lakh with additional 1,800 ringgits.
After the Malaysian government had lifted its embargo on worker export from Bangladesh, which was in force for about a decade, the association of the recruiting agencies was delegated to send manpower to that country.
But since then, allegations were rife against the Baira president and some ministers including State Minister for Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Lutfur Rahman Khan Azad of asking for part of the money realised from the workers illegally.
The state minister however dismissed the allegations and said his ministry will strictly monitor the process so that no agency can overcharge the workers.
Meanwhile, more than 10 thousand job offer letters have reached Baira, but none of the workers could be sent due to the dispute over migration cost.
A few lakh workers from across the country, on the other hand, have already submitted their passports to the recruiting agencies. And for this, the middlemen had charged them a pretty large sum.
“It may push the migration cost to Tk 2 lakh, whereas a worker should not need more than Tk 50,000 for going to Malaysia,” said a recruitment agent requesting anonymity.
The manpower export to Malaysia might halt anytime if the dispute is not resolved immediately, he said adding, “Especially those who had already paid a substantial amount of money to the middlemen or the agencies will be in great trouble.”
Sources in the expatriates’ welfare ministry said the Malaysian government too has expressed disgust over the reports that the Baira was having extra money from the workers saying that they need that for the lobbyists working in Malaysia.
Under these circumstances, the government should oversee the manpower export instead of Baira, suggested a recruiting agent preferring anonymity.
It was for the first time that Malaysia had signed an agreement with a trade body like Baira for manpower. According to the agreement, an online system is to be employed to avert any forgery and irregularities in the process.
The country, which has long been in want of skilled workers for its industries, also agreed to employ 50 percent of the total foreign workers from Bangladesh.
“The prevailing deadlock might lead to an extensive damage to manpower export from Bangladesh if the government fails to address the issue properly,” feared a recruiter.
November 11th, 2007 at 11:55 am
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