Malaysia has agreed in principle to reopen its labour market for Bangladeshi workers, subject to the resolution of pending investigations and unsubstantiated cases.
The decision was outlined in a joint declaration issued after a ministerial-level meeting on labour migration held in Malaysia’s Putrajaya.
The Bangladesh delegation was led by Minister Ariful Haque Choudhury, while Malaysia was represented by its Human Resources Minister, Dato’ Sri Ramanan Ramakrishnan.
Prime Minister’s Adviser Mahdi Amin also attended the talks.
Malaysia had suspended the recruitment of foreign workers, including those from Bangladesh, on May 31, 2024, citing concerns over excessive labour supply and rising recruitment costs. Previous efforts by Bangladesh’s interim government to resume the process had stalled without significant progress.With a new BNP-led government now in office, fresh initiatives have been undertaken to restore the labour market access. During the meeting, Bangladesh expressed its full support for an AI-based recruitment system proposed as a global model for all labour-sending countries and pledged cooperation in its implementation.
Both sides agreed to accelerate efforts to reopen Malaysia’s labour market for Bangladeshi workers, emphasizing the need for a fair, ethical and transparent recruitment process.
The discussions also focused on addressing the challenges faced by stranded workers, reducing the role of intermediaries, and improving overall recruitment efficiency.
