On 11 August, Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus is scheduled to visit Malaysia, one of Bangladesh’s closest friends. After the current government took office, Malaysian Prime Minister and long-time well-wisher of Dr Yunus, Anwar Ibrahim, pledged all possible assistance. The personal rapport between the two leaders presents a promising opportunity for Bangladesh.
According to Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain, a range of issues will be discussed during the visit. However, if Dr Yunus raises the logical demand for sending Bangladeshi workers to Malaysia at zero cost, it could bring significant long-term benefits for the country.
Malaysia’s maximum approved quota for foreign workers is about 2.5 million, but the actual number currently stands slightly below 2 million, leaving a shortage of around 500,000. Each year, due to returning workers and fresh demand, Malaysia requires around 500,000 new workers. The country sources these from 14 “source countries,” with Bangladesh topping the list as the largest supplier. According to those involved in the labour recruitment sector, if all goes well, Bangladesh could send 200,000 workers annually over the next six years – totaling about 1.2 million workers.
Unfortunately, the current process of recruiting Bangladeshi workers violates international labour law. The International Labour Organization’s “General Principles and Operational Guidelines for Fair Recruitment” clearly states under the Employer Pays Principle that the employer must bear all recruitment-related costs – from passport and visa fees to medical checks and airfare. Charging workers directly or indirectly is strictly prohibited.
Malaysia already recruits workers under this employer-pays system from Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Cambodia. Nepal and India receive partial benefits as well. In these cases, workers pay nothing; employers cover all expenses. Yet, despite being the top source country, Bangladesh has not secured this benefit, nor has it been formally demanded by the government. Given the legitimacy of the demand and the obligations under international law, winning this concession should not be difficult.
Dr Yunus’s personal relationship with Anwar Ibrahim could make it even easier. The Malaysian government has already begun positive steps toward extending this benefit to Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan. For Bangladesh, raising this demand during the upcoming visit could result in a formal announcement allowing free recruitment of Bangladeshi workers.
If Bangladesh secures this arrangement, migrant workers would no longer fall prey to middlemen or recruitment brokers. Currently, each worker spends an average of around Tk500,000 to go abroad. Sending 200,000 workers annually means a yearly outflow of roughly Tk10,000 crore – totaling Tk60,000 crore over six years.
Under a zero-cost model, this massive outflow would be avoided, and Bangladesh would instead see an inflow of funds. Employers would pay approximately Tk150,000 per worker for passport, medical, airfare, and related costs – money that would come directly into Bangladesh before the workers even depart. This would amount to Tk3,000 crore annually, or Tk18,000 crore over six years.
Malaysia currently hosts about 1.5 million Bangladeshi workers. The country’s minimum wage is 1,700 ringgit, or around Tk51,000. On average, each worker remits Tk28,000 a month to Bangladesh. In May alone, remittances from Malaysia through formal channels totaled Tk4,164 crore. If another 1.2 million workers arrive over the next six years, remittances could rise by an additional Tk1,700 crore per month.
However, to secure this major benefit, Bangladesh must also address obstacles. The domestic labour market has been hampered by disputes among recruiting agencies, leading to several legal cases between them. The government has filed human trafficking and money laundering cases against some recruiters, prompting Malaysia to take a cautious stance. Such issues have affected Malaysia’s standing in the US Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report, where it currently holds a Tier 2 ranking.
There are three ongoing cases in Bangladesh involving human and money trafficking that have drawn concern from Kuala Lumpur. On 23 April, Malaysian human resources ministry Secretary-General Azman Mohd Yusof sent a letter to Bangladesh’s foreign secretary, urging review and withdrawal of what they described as “unsubstantiated allegations” to improve Malaysia’s TIP ranking – a story first reported internationally by Bloomberg.
While Bangladesh’s CID has submitted a final report in the human trafficking cases, the court has yet to dispose of them, and the Anti-Corruption Commission’s money laundering cases remain unresolved. Unless these disputes are settled, Malaysia’s labour market will remain sensitive to taking workers from Bangladesh.
With national elections set for February, this could be Dr Yunus’s first and last visit to Malaysia as chief adviser. It is, therefore, a historic opportunity to secure a landmark achievement. If he can successfully ensure a zero-cost recruitment policy, he would earn lasting gratitude from millions of hardworking Bangladeshi migrants – a feat both economically and emotionally invaluable for the nation.
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