Despite the announcement of the start of the recruitment process for Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia, there has been confusion due to the lack of specific instructions on immigration costs. In the meantime, various recruiting agencies and middlemen have started collecting passports from potential workers by campaigning that the cost per worker could be between 700,000 and 750,000 taka. This is expected to exceed past records for workers going to Malaysia.
According to experts, it is necessary to quickly determine realistic immigration costs, as well as make the entire payment process online. Otherwise, agencies can collect money at will. On the other hand, the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment says that the previously determined costs were not realistic. The issue of determining the costs anew is being considered.
On October 15, the ministry announced the start of the process of sending workers to Malaysia through approved recruiting agencies. After that, preparations began for potential workers to go to Malaysia. On Wednesday, it was also announced that the health screening process would begin. However, there is no clear guidance on the total cost per worker, the fees for different stages, and the payment method, so uncertainty is not going away.
Agencies’ demands regarding costs
Businessmen in the labor sector claim that the previous immigration costs set by the government were not realistic. They had objected to this issue in 2022 as well. This time too, they have demanded that the costs be set in line with reality.
According to businessmen, previously, expenses were incurred in collecting requisitions to send workers to Malaysia.
2-3 thousand ringgit. Now it has increased to 8-10 thousand ringgit. According to some businessmen, this cost has increased to 10 to 12 thousand ringgit. As a result, they believe that the cost per employee will also increase.
According to the data, the total immigration cost set by the government for sending workers to Malaysia from 2022 to 2024 was 78,990 taka. This included passport fees, medical examination fees, recruiting agency service charges, registration fees, welfare fees, and insurance fees. But the real picture was different. At that time, the cost of Bangladeshi workers for brokers and agency syndicates at various levels stood at 5-6 lakh taka. Whereas Nepalese citizens cost 2 to 2.5 lakh taka. Indonesian workers cost 1 to 1.5 lakh taka. Philippine citizens cost 50 to 80 thousand taka.
The owner of a recruiting agency listed on the sub-agency’s website, who asked not to be named, said he has already collected more than 1,000 passports. More passports are being collected. He claimed that those interested have been asked to prepare at least seven lakh taka. It was also reported that this figure could increase further as the final cost has not been determined.
The businessman said that big businessmen are spending huge amounts of money to collect demand letters from various companies in Malaysia. In addition, the related middlemen also have to pay money. As a result, it has become difficult for small agencies to send workers at low cost.
Fakhrul Islam, former joint secretary general of the organization of manpower exporters, BAIRA, told Amar Desh that recruiting workers through syndicates will tarnish the country’s image. He fears that the current process could lead to immigration costs that could surpass all previous records. He also believes that setting the cost for workers at between 2.5 and 3 lakh taka is realistic.
Employee concerns
Meanwhile, potential workers waiting to go to Malaysia are also worried about the additional costs. Almas Ali runs a grocery shop in Sunamganj’s village and runs a family. He has been waiting for the Malaysian labor market to open for two and a half years. Recently, a neighbor assured him he would send him to Malaysia and asked him to submit his passport. When asked about the costs, he was told to prepare more than seven lakh taka.
Munna Mia, a resident of Rampura, Dhaka, works as a marketing representative in a private company. After seeing the news of the start of the recruitment process in Malaysia, she contacted a familiar recruiting agency. Munna said that she was initially asked to prepare 700,000 to 750,000 taka, saying that the cost would be higher this time.
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The government will determine new spending.
According to the ministry’s October 15 notification, Malaysian authorities have agreed to list a total of 338 companies, including Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services Limited (BOESL), 25 private processing or service agencies, and 312 recruiting agencies, to send workers to Malaysia.
The listed recruiting agencies will be able to find employers in Malaysia, collect job requisitions, select employees, and conduct recruitment activities on their own. On the other hand, BOESEL and the listed 25 processing or service agencies will provide assistance in related administrative work, including calling visas and e-visas. After that, BMET clearance will be arranged for the employees as per the laws of Bangladesh.
Each approved recruiting agency will be able to obtain BMET clearance for its selected employees under its own license. In this case, the processing or service agencies will be able to provide the necessary No Objection Certificate (NOC).
The notification also stated that the list of approved medical centers for health check-ups has been finalized. However, details on the cost of immigration per worker and who will be eligible for free travel were not provided.
Several officials of the ministry, on condition of anonymity, said that work is underway to revise the previously set cost. They claim that although the cost was set at about 79,000 taka, one agency had the opportunity to make a profit of about 30,000 taka. Even then, the agency could not prevent the collection of additional money from the workers. The ministry is considering setting a new immigration cost so that the agency owners do not take additional money from the workers.
Proposal to pay money in the OEP system
Immigration expert Asif Munir told Amar Desh that it is important to quickly determine realistic immigration costs for workers going to Malaysia. At the same time, arrangements should be made to pay the full amount through the Overseas Employment Platform (OEP).
According to him, the amount of money being charged for each sector, including the service charges of the main agency and sub-agency, should be specified. If necessary, the OEP service charge can be determined on an experimental basis.
He also suggested investigating the activities of those who are currently collecting passports. The expert emphasized the importance of talking to the workers who submitted the passports to verify how much money is being demanded and, if necessary, conducting raids through a task force.
State Minister for Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Nurul Haque Nur said that the previously determined immigration cost was not realistic and no one accepted it. The cost of sending workers through the government agency BOESEL could be approximately 155,000 to 160,000 taka. However, the cost of sending workers through private recruiting agencies will be determined after discussing and calculating with the concerned parties.
Expenses had increased before.
Malaysia’s labor market reopened in 2016, eight years after it was closed in 2008. The country stopped hiring workers from Bangladesh in 2018 due to corruption allegations. After a new agreement was signed on December 18, 2021, workers were sent back in 2022. However, the labor market closed again on June 1, 2024.
From 2016 to 2018, workers were recruited through 10 recruiting agencies. At that time, the government-set immigration fee was Tk 33,375. But workers were charged Tk 200,000 to Tk 350,000.
Later, after the launch of the labor market in 2022, initially 25 and later 101 agencies were added to the process of sending workers. There are allegations that, due to syndicates and middlemen, the migration costs of workers still reached several lakhs of taka.
