PUTRAJAYA: Bangladesh has asked Malaysia to reopen its labour market as the two countries pledged to clean up a recruitment system long marred by exploitation.
Visiting Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said he raised this with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during bilateral talks on Monday (June 22).
"I said to His Excellency Anwar, consider recruiting more Bangladeshi workers, as well as open up the labour market," he said at a joint press conference here.
"I also raised the issue of the recalibration of undocumented Bangladeshi workers and, where possible, repatriating them.
"We also agreed that recruitment (of foreign workers) should be transparent, fair and affordable, reducing intermediaries and lowering the cost for foreign workers," he added.
ALSO READ: M’sia and Bangladesh agree to fast-track FTA talks
Anwar said abuses against foreign workers who were exploited and ill-treated cannot be tolerated.
"This continued abuse of workers, purely for personal gain, cannot be tolerated.
"Yes, we need the workers, but more importantly, (we need) to protect the welfare of these workers and their families."
Anwar acknowledged that the recruitment of foreign workers, while critical to Malaysia's economy, had invited scandals and humanitarian concerns.
He appreciated Tarique's commitment, expressed in private and in their bilateral meeting, that both countries must take the lead in stopping the excesses and ensure the system was transparent and met both sides' requirements.
ALSO READ: M'sia and Bangladesh to resolve Rohingya issue together, including engaging Myanmar
Since 2024, Kuala Lumpur has restricted the hiring of workers from Bangladesh amid allegations of debt bondage and forced labour.
Malaysia is one of the region’s biggest importers of foreign labour, with about 2.1 million registered low-skilled foreign workers as of November last year across sectors such as construction, manufacturing, plantations, and services.
The hiring of foreign workers in Malaysia has been marred by allegations of exploitation.
To address this, Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri R Ramanan said in February that a new direct hiring system for foreign workers is in the pipeline.
In April, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the proposed implementation of a new foreign worker recruitment system will be presented to the Cabinet for deliberation.
