WITH Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim recently made clear his stance on inhumane treatment and abuse of foreign workers, it would be timely to invite him to Dhaka since Bangladeshis make up a quarter or more than the estimated four million foreign workers in Malaysia.
This is especially so as Putrajaya and Jakarta have both agreed to further strengthen the protection of Indonesian migrant workers who number more than a million at the moment.
Admitting that there were some issues that have hurt the feelings of the Indonesians as well as their government, Anwar wanted the solution to be more comprehensive so that workers will be protected.
As he has stressed that both sides would ensure that employment agencies do not make a high profit by exploiting migrant workers, Dhaka-based news portal Daily Star in an opinion editorial stressed that a similar predicament arises in the context of Bangladeshi workers.
“Now, this is indeed a very serious issue affecting workers from Bangladesh with lots of abuses involving agents in both countries,” penned Kuala Lumpur-based freelance journalist K. Parkaran for the news portal.
“With Anwar’s announced stand on inhumane treatment and abuse of foreign workers, it would be timely for the Bangladeshi government to capitalise on this, and his intent to protect its citizens working in Malaysia for a meagre monthly salary of RM1,500.”
He added: “It is obviously time to revisit the five-year memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the intake of foreign workers that was signed by both countries (Malaysia and Bangladesh) in 2021 (during the tenure of former human resources minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan) to improve protection.”
Like how serious abuses of Indonesian domestic workers in the past – though not rampant – had been the bane of the ties between Putrajaya and Jakarta, Dhaka perhaps must push for a system that no longer limits the number of recruitment agencies “and ends the involvement of the two ‘cartels’ that rake in billions annually from forced labour and exploitation”.
This comes about as an international watchdog has claimed in recent times that the inflow of foreign workers from Bangladesh to Malaysia is still being monopolised by two power brokers. This is despite the MOU that gave permission to 25 agencies to recruit workers.
“There are also allegations of human trafficking syndicates that cause the misery of thousands of Bangladeshi migrants as well as of corruption in the recruitment system that has lined the pockets of government officials of both countries,” Parkaran pointed out.
“Hence, it is of utmost importance that Bangladesh plays its role as a responsible source country by preventing its agencies from exploiting their citizens even before they leave for Malaysia. The blood, sweat and toil, in addition to their sacrifices of being oceans away from their loved ones, should not be in vain. They must be protected.”
After all, 2023 marks 51 years of diplomatic relations since Malaysia recognised Bangladesh as a sovereign nation in 1972. – Jan 17, 2023
