Deadlock over Malaysia labour market likely to end soon: Expat minister

Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury has expressed optimism that the long-standing issues surrounding Bangladesh's labour market access to Malaysia are set to be resolved, saying the "deadlock is easing" ahead of a planned visit by Malaysia's Human Resources Minister next month.

Speaking to a television channel today (23 June) upon returning from Malaysia, Ariful said Malaysian Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri R Ramanan is expected to visit Bangladesh in July, a move that could help accelerate discussions on labour migration between the two countries.

"The complications are being resolved very soon," the minister said, referring to ongoing efforts to address challenges in the recruitment process and expand opportunities for Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia.

He said the next bilateral meeting between Bangladesh and Malaysia would also review the existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on labour migration, signalling a possible update to the current framework governing worker recruitment.

The minister reiterated the government's opposition to any recruitment syndicate or restrictive agency arrangement in overseas employment.

"We do not believe in any syndicate. We will not remain confined to a limited number of agencies," he said.

The remarks come amid continued discussions between Dhaka and Kuala Lumpur on ensuring a transparent, fair and competitive recruitment system for Bangladeshi workers seeking jobs in Malaysia. 

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman urged Malaysia to reopen its labour market to Bangladeshi workers as soon as possible and recruit more workers from Bangladesh during his visit this week. 

Malaysia remains one of the major destinations for Bangladeshi migrant workers, and the reopening and expansion of the labour market has been a key priority for the government.