Bangladesh may begin sending workers to Malaysia in the first week of November once all formalities are completed, Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment State Minister Nurul Haq Nur said on Wednesday.
Nur made the remarks at a migration dialogue on preventing irregular and risky migration and ensuring accountability of sub-agents, organised by Witness Foundation.
Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services Limited (BOESL), the state-run manpower-sending agency, will initially send workers to Malaysia. Private recruiting agencies are expected to be included gradually at a later stage.
Preparations for sending workers are under way, Nur said. The government expects to publish the list of approved medical centres by October 31, with health examinations for workers potentially beginning at those centres from November 1.
Medical procedures could enable workers to travel to Malaysia during the first week of November, the state minister said.
Malaysian authorities have approved 338 large licensed recruiting agencies to send workers to the country. Employers’ demand letters are being submitted through Malaysia’s Foreign Workers Centralized Management System (FWCMS) and the Bangladesh Embassy’s service centre.
No demand letter will be accepted without authentication by the Bangladesh Embassy, according to relevant sources.
Although an initial plan envisages sending 10,000 workers through BOESL, their migration will not be entirely free of cost. Airfare, medical examinations and service charges could bring the total cost to between Tk155,000 and Tk160,000.
The cost of sending workers through private agencies will be determined through discussions with relevant parties. The government said it would maintain strict oversight to control costs.
Workers will be able to confirm where they must undergo health examinations after the approved medical-centre list is published. Authorities advised prospective workers not to undergo medical tests at unapproved institutions and to verify government instructions before making financial transactions with any individual or organisation.