Photo: Messenger
More than 31,000 Bangladeshi workers could not go to Malaysia on Friday, the last day of going to the Southeast Asian country before a ban on Bangladeshi migrants comes into effect. Even after completing all the procedures, including visa, this large number of workers could not fly there only because of the non-availability of flights.
They thronged Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport but could not get tickets, eventually returning with disappointments. Some borrowed money and some sold land and wives’ jewellery and paid recruiting agencies more than Tk 6 lakh beyond the official migration fees in the hope of building a better life and happiness for themselves and their families by working abroad.
Considering each worker bore losses of Tk 6 lakh, the total loss incurred by the 31,000 workers is about Tk 1,860 crore. The money is now in the hands of the agencies. As the workers could not go to Malaysia, there is considerable doubt about whether they will get their money back.
Additional Director General of the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) Shah Abdul Tariq told The Daily Messenger, “Everything that was required to be done on our part has been done quickly. We tried so that everyone could go. A significant number of workers could not go because of the failure of the agencies concerned. Due to their negligence, the workers could not buy tickets.”
He also said no one had complained to the BMET about paying more money than the official fees. “Malaysia gave a tight deadline. We are looking into the matter. We will discuss with Malaysian officials whether the deadline could be extended as the workers could not fly there.”
The Malaysian labour market is closed for Bangladeshi workers from today. Because of this, there were large crowds of workers at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport since Friday morning. 1,500 workers flew to the country on seven flights on Friday. But 31,701 workers could not fly only because they did not get tickets.
According to the BMET, the expatriates’ welfare ministry approved 5,23,834 workers to go to Malaysia till May 21. Although no further approval was supposed to be given after May 21, BMET information says that the ministry approved another 1,112 workers. In other words, 5,24,946 workers were allowed to go to Malaysia till May 30. Among them, 4,91,745 workers left for Malaysia till Thursday. Migrants even flew there via other routes as they could not get direct flight tickets from Dhaka.
According to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two countries, 15 types of expenses, including airfare, are to be borne by Malaysian employers. The government fixed the expenditure at Tk 78,990, including recruiting agencies’ service charge of Tk 50,000. However, except for the workers sent by the government agency Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services Limited, no one could fly below Tk 4.5 lakh. Most of them had to pay more than Tk 6 lakh.
Faisal Ahmed from Tongi told reporters that he had paid Tk 6,60,000. He first paid the broker Tk 6 lakh. Another Tk 60,000 had to be paid on Tuesday due to the increase in airfare. The workers who waited at the airport said they had done everything needed but still could not fly, adding it was not acceptable. Even after paying about Tk 7 lakh, including around Tk 1 lakh for airfare, they could not go. They said the agencies had cheated them by promising to arrange tickets. They also said many recruiters were not picking up the phone.
Aslam Sheikh, who came from Chandpur, said that in the hope of going to Malaysia, he had sold a piece of land and paid Tk 4 lakh. He then paid another Tk 2.75 lakh, including airfare. Still, he could not fly. Expatriates’ welfare Secretary Md Ruhul Amin told reporters that the ministry had not received complaints of migrants being overcharged by the agencies.
Even after 271 workers boarded a special flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, more than 31,000 workers could not go to Malaysia. These workers now face uncertainties.
Of the seven flights leaving Dhaka for Malaysia from Friday morning to night, two were of Biman, two of US-Bangla, one of Malaysian Airlines, one of Air Asia, and one of Batik Air. Later, Biman announced to operate a special flight, which carried a total of 271 passengers.
Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA) Joint Secretary General Md Fakhrul Islam told The Daily Messenger that the syndicate controlling the Malaysian labour market was responsible for the failure of this large number of workers to go despite paying the money.
“Again and again, we are losing access to the Malaysian labour market because of this syndicate. Since the Malaysian government has set a deadline, we needed good management to send the workers, but it didn't happen,” he said.
“Those who go abroad as migrants pay a lot of money, and I think they and their families often go through painful experiences to arrange that money. That is why utmost care, including arranging tickets, should have been taken for sending them to Malaysia. But it didn't happen. It is the syndicate's fault that these workers could not go,” he also said.
“Considering the humanitarian aspect, I am urging the government to arrange their flights by taking steps at the diplomatic level,” he added.
Malaysia stopped hiring workers from Bangladesh in 2018 due to various allegations, including fraud. After the re-opening of the labour market in 2022, more than 4,00,000 Bangladeshis went there. Currently, there are more than 12 lakh Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia.
Messenger/Disha
