Malaysia resumes Bangladeshi worker recruitment after 4 years

Malaysia has resumed the process of recruiting Bangladeshi workers after a hiatus of nearly four years, although neither government has formally announced the reopening of the labour market, with the Bangladesh High Commission in Kuala Lumpur attesting a demand letter on Monday for 28 workers sought by Malaysian supermarket chain NSK Trade City-the first visible step towards resuming recruitment.

The demand letter was attested through Bangladeshi recruiting agency Goodness Services Ltd, according to High Commission sources. This development follows prolonged negotiations, ministerial-level meetings and diplomatic efforts between the two countries, including discussions during Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's first overseas visit after taking office, when he raised the resumption of recruitment with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, after which the process began gaining momentum.

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However, details on recruitment procedures, authorised agencies and migration costs have yet to be announced. Meanwhile, recruiting agencies, brokers and intermediaries have reportedly grown active on social media, offering jobs and promising rapid deployment to Malaysia, raising concerns over potential fraud and excessive migration costs. Authorities, accordingly, have said they will maintain strict oversight to protect workers' interests and ensure safe migration at reasonable costs.