Workers to Start Going to Malaysia Completely Free of Cost From December: Expatriates Minister

Workers will start being sent to Malaysia completely free of cost from December, Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury has said. He referred to December as the month of Victory Day and victory.

The minister gave the information to journalists at a views-exchange meeting with recruiting embassies and agencies held at the Probashi Kallyan Bhaban in Eskaton, Dhaka, on Thursday (November 5).

The minister said that for the first few flights, not a single amount would be taken from the selected workers. Even the government service charge has been waived.

In this process, workers will apply online and the final list will be prepared through a transparent lottery, he said.

Alongside sending workers free of cost through the government, a plan is under way to keep the maximum migration cost for workers going through private channels limited to between two and a half and three lakh taka, the minister said.

He also said efforts are under way to discuss with the Malaysian government so that all registered valid agencies, beyond the limited number of agencies currently on the list, can join the business of sending workers on an equal footing.

As the existing memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two countries expires by December 31, a new MoU will be signed, he said.

To ensure there is no fraud or suffering in sending workers abroad, a rule has been set for every demand letter to be attested by the Bangladesh embassy in the relevant country and by Malaysia's Human Resource Ministry.

The medical fee has also been fixed at a maximum of 8,000 taka, and a stern message has been given to exclude hospitals involved in corruption or irregularities.

He also raised plans to take individual undertakings and form a special support cell abroad to ensure workers' employment and safety in destination countries.