Malaysia–Bangladesh Enhance Cooperation On Labour Migration

KUALA LUMPUR, April 9 (Bernama) -- Malaysia and Bangladesh have reaffirmed their joint commitment to strengthening strategic cooperation in labour migration, with an emphasis on a more transparent, inclusive and integrity-driven system.

The matter was highlighted during a courtesy call by a Bangladesh delegation led by Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Choudhury, accompanied by Prime Minister’s Adviser Mahdi Amin, on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in Putrajaya today.

Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri R. Ramanan, who was also present at the meeting, said in a Facebook post that among the key areas of discussion was ensuring a safe, orderly and legal migration process, while addressing existing challenges in worker recruitment.

“Among the key matters agreed upon were efforts to expedite the reopening of the labour market for Bangladeshi workers based on Malaysia’s sectoral needs, as well as ensuring a fair, ethical and transparent recruitment process.

“This includes reducing the role of intermediaries, lowering costs, and utilising authorised and qualified recruitment agencies,” he said.

Ramanan said Malaysia also presented initiatives to introduce a technology- and artificial intelligence (AI)-based recruitment system aimed at reducing reliance on intermediaries and ensuring recruitment costs are fully borne by employers, in line with the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Employer Pays principle.

He said Bangladesh had expressed full support for the initiative and readiness to cooperate in its implementation.

He added that discussions also touched on legal issues and concerns over human trafficking in worker recruitment.

“Both sides stressed the importance of upholding the rule of law, ensuring transparent justice processes, and safeguarding their respective international reputations.

“In addition, cooperation in skills development, training, certification and information sharing was also emphasised to ensure better matching between industry needs and the workforce, thereby enhancing productivity,” he said.

Ramanan said engagement sessions would continue on a regular basis to ensure the effective implementation of all agreed initiatives.

“This cooperation reflects a shared commitment to building a fairer, more sustainable and globally competitive labour migration system,” he said.

-- BERNAMA