Malaysia to hire 1.2m Bangladeshi workers
May 15, 2025
Online desk: Malaysia has agreed in principle to recruit 12 lakh Bangladeshi workers over the next six years under a more structured, secure, and worker-friendly system, according to senior officials at the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment.
The agreement was reached during a high-level bilateral meeting in Putrajaya, Malaysia on Thursday, where Dr. Asif Nazrul, Adviser to the Ministry, met with top officials from Malaysia’s Ministry of Human Resources.
Sources close to the negotiation revealed that discussions centered around two primary objectives: ensuring fair treatment and timely wages for current Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia, and creating a transparent, ethical recruitment process for future labour migration.
As part of the preliminary understanding, more than 30,000 workers are expected to migrate to Malaysia at zero cost to themselves—marking a significant shift toward employer-paid recruitment. The broader goal includes expanding this zero-cost model across future batches.
The official Bangladesh delegation, which includes Senior Secretary Neyamat Ullah Bhuiyan and Deputy Secretary Md Sarwar Alam, arrived in Malaysia on May 14 to lead the diplomatic engagement aimed at reviving and stabilizing the bilateral labour corridor.
Officials at the Bangladesh High Commission in Kuala Lumpur noted that wages in Malaysia for general labourers are almost twice as high as those in Middle Eastern countries, making this an economically strategic move. “If properly regulated, this market can play a vital role in boosting foreign remittances, which are essential to our national economy,” said a high commission official.
However, concerns remain over longstanding disputes among Bangladeshi recruiting agencies, which have historically hampered smooth migration flows. Both sides acknowledged the internal rifts and emphasized the importance of resolving these challenges to move forward.
“A worker-centric approach must prevail over agency interests,” said a senior official from the Ministry. “Clean, transparent, and legally compliant recruitment will ultimately benefit our economy and reputation.”
The government reiterated that it cannot arbitrarily assign contracts to specific agencies. “It’s the agencies’ responsibility to secure employment from foreign employers. Once that’s done, the government will validate the process. This is standard practice globally,” one official clarified.
There was also concern over politically motivated protests, legal challenges, and media campaigns that may be undermining Bangladesh’s position on the global labour stage. “Unjustified lawsuits and misinformation damage our image and affect diplomatic efforts,” said the official, requesting anonymity.
Given the current global economic pressures and Bangladesh’s urgent need for a steady remittance inflow, the Ministry stressed the importance of reform and unity in managing overseas employment.
“Reopening the Malaysian labour market under a reformed, ethical, and cost-effective model will be a major win for Bangladesh and its migrant workers,” said a senior policymaker at the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare.
