Photo : Messenger
The Malaysian labor market for Bangladeshi workers was closed on May 31 due to various irregularities. During this period, many workers, despite having visas and BMET cards, were unable to travel to Malaysia. The Ministry of Expatriate Welfare has ordered refunds for these workers who were affected by the crisis. However, it has not been specified how much money will be returned to these workers, who paid several times more than the government-fixed fee.
Workers who could not go to Malaysia report that they have not received any refunds. Instead, many have had their passports withheld and are receiving threats. Brokers are also attempting to lure many workers with promises of opportunities in other countries.
According to the Expatriate Welfare Ministry, after the Malaysian labor market was closed in 2018, it reopened in August 2022. However, this process came to an end on May 31 this year.
During this period, the Malaysian government allocated a quota of 532,162 workers for Bangladesh. Out of this total allotted quota, 527,999 people, or 99.21 percent, were given work permits by the ministry. Among these, 493,729 people, or 93.50 percent of those with employment approval, received exit clearance cards from BMET. By May 31, 475,952 workers, representing 96.4 percent of those who had received clearance cards, had traveled to Malaysia. Consequently, 17,777 workers, or 3.6 percent of those with BMET clearance cards, were unable to go to Malaysia despite completing all procedures.
According to official estimates, the number of workers who actually went to Malaysia was 52,247 less than those who were given work permits. Additionally, brokers and some unscrupulous travel agencies allegedly took money from a large number of people for whom no process was completed.
Government rules stipulate that the total cost for a person to go to Malaysia, including passport, health examination, registration fee, welfare fee, insurance, smart card fee, and service charge of the recruiting agency, should be 78,990 taka. However, brokers and agencies have been charging 400,000-500,000 taka per person, sometimes even more. Workers who were cheated and could not go to Malaysia, despite paying five to six times the stipulated amount, are now seeking refunds. Unfortunately, they are not finding any hope or solution to their predicament.
State Minister for Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment, Shafiqur Rahman Chowdhury, stated that recruiting agencies have been instructed to refund the money to workers who couldn't travel to Malaysia despite having visas, upon proof of payment. A meeting on this issue is scheduled for next Wednesday, where further decisions will be made. He assured that those who were unable to go will certainly receive refunds.
Raju Chandra Das is among those affected. He reported, "I deposited five lakh taka and my passport to Iman Ali, a broker representative of Shahjahan Mollah, Chairman of Happy Travel Agency, through cash and bank transfers over several months. I completed BMET fingerprinting and PDO training in stages. When I asked who would handle my manpower, Iman Ali said I didn't need to know, and that I could go to Malaysia. Later, he gave me a fake ticket dated May 19, 2024, for a flight to Malaysia to gain my trust, without providing my Manpower/BMET Smartcard. Despite all these deceptions, broker Iman Ali and his recruiting agency failed to send me to Malaysia by the government deadline of May 31, 2024."
Raju Chandra Das further said, "I collected this money with great difficulty. When I call the agency, they say they'll return the money today or tomorrow. Broker Iman Ali is currently in Malaysia, and in his absence, I can't directly communicate with the chairman of the travel agency or the owner of the recruiting agency."
When contacted, Iman Ali, the broker in Malaysia, stated, "I deposited the money at the Happy Travels office. They credited it to the office account. Should I pay from my pocket? I informed the office to return everyone's money. Now, it's up to the office to handle the matter."
Subsequently, Mofizul, a partner of Happy Travels, said, "We worked through an agency called 'Rubel Bangladesh'. If that agency refunds the money, we will refund everyone. However, the 'Rubel Agency' also did not receive the money directly. They got the funds through some of their agents in Malaysia."
Another victim, Mittal, said, "I deposited four lakh seventy thousand taka and my passport to Pavel, the manager of Parisa International Travel Agency, through a broker named Manik over several months to go to Malaysia. After some time, the travel agency only provided me with an e-visa and did not complete my manpower activities. As a result, none of the travel and recruiting agencies could send me to Malaysia within the government's stipulated timeframe. With broker Manik currently in Malaysia, I want my money and passport back from manager Pavel. However, he refused and has been threatening me."
Md. Mittal also said, "When I contacted broker Manik and the travel agency, they directed me to contact each other, passing the responsibility back and forth."
When Pavel, the manager of Parisha International, was contacted about this, he said, "We have returned money to some people. I don't know anyone named Mittal. I know Manik. Manik owes me Tk 2 lakh 40 thousand. All our work is conducted according to standards. Now, those who couldn't go and dealt with Manik should contact him."
An employee of a travel agency, who did not want to be named, said that in most cases, the money goes through two or three intermediaries before reaching the recruiting agencies. In the case of Malaysia, many people gave money to brokers in Malaysia. The broker then sent some money to their agent or travel agency in the country, which was then forwarded to the recruiting agencies. As a result, when someone cannot go to Malaysia, the money has already passed through several hands, complicating refunds.
Ali Haider Chowdhury, Secretary General of the Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA), said that due to the current situation in the country, refunds have not been processed yet. Once the situation stabilizes, a meeting with the minister will be held to announce the next steps.
Messenger/Fameema
