Bangladesh Association for International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA) on Tuesday denied responsibility for the debacle of around 17,000 aspirant migrant workers could not fly to Malaysia before a May 31 deadline.
It also denied any irregularities on its part in sending migrant workers to Malaysia.
It instead blamed the Malaysian government and Bangladesh's Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment for the mismanagement, reports our staff correspondent.
The claims were made at a press conference arranged by BAIRA at the Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunessa Mujib Convention Hall in the capital's Minto Road this morning. Representatives from around a hundred private companies accused of irregularities in the recruitment process attended the event.
"The Malaysian government continued issuing visas even after the May 31 deadline. E-visas were even issued on June 2, which is peculiar. Yet, our ministry granted clearances despite knowing that it was impossible to arrange flights for them," said BAIRA Secretary General Ali Haider Chowdhury.
About 2–3 percent of BMET-certified workers fail to travel to their destination country, mainly due to companies being blacklisted for misconduct or the unavailability of tickets, said Mohammad Ruhul Amin Swapan, former secretary general of BAIRA.
Countering the expat ministry's figure of 16,970 workers who couldn't travel to Malaysia, he said the number is no more than about 5,000–6,000.
"Meanwhile, we are collaborating with the government to either facilitate their travel or a refund," he added.
When a journalist asked Lawmaker Nizam Uddin Hazari how he could send 8,300 workers to Malaysia in the last 2 years from a mere 300 before that, he said he was not directly involved in sending people abroad.
"I wasn't involved in sending anyone to Malaysia. Neither did I process any visas. I simply facilitated the entire process," he said.
He added that the Malaysian government has kept assigning the same agencies to send the workers.
In reply, the lawmaker denied of any syndicate existing within the recruiting agencies.
He also promised to reimburse the affected migrants and added that a certain group is trying to discredit them.
Lawmaker Masud Uddin Chowdhury, lawmakers Benjir Ahmed, president of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Ministry, Baira President Mohammad Abul Bashar also attended the conference.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Sramik Odhikar Parishad, an associate body of Gono Odhikar Parishad, held a protest rally in front of the Jatiya Press Club this afternoon, demanding the arrest of those involved in the aforementioned irregularities and compensation for victims.
MPs deny embezzlement of money from Malaysia-bound workers
Meanwhile, at least two Members of Parliament (MPs) of the Ruling Bangladesh Awami League on Tuesday denied allegations against them of being involved in embezzlement of money from Malaysia-bound workers.
Denying the allegation against some of the MPs, Dhaka-3 lawmaker Benazir Ahmed said none can prove the allegation.
"No one can prove that MPs have embezzled money from Malaysia-bound labourers. A group is spreading propaganda to destroy the labour market by tarnishing the country's image in destination countries," said Benazir, also the proprietor of Ahmed International and a member of 100 syndicate-affiliated agencies sending workers to Malaysia.
He was talking to journalists at a press conference held on Tuesday at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Convention Hall.
Also speaking at the conference on the current situation of the Malaysian labour market, Feni-2 MP Nizam Uddin Hazari said, "There is no word called syndicate in the Malaysian labour market."
The allegations against some MPs, including Benazir and Nizam, surfaced after media reports claimed that lawmakers are earning crores from the Malaysian labour market by embezzling money from aspiring workers.
Nizam, also the Snigdha Overseas Ltd's chairman, said, "I was not involved in buying visas (demand letters) in Malaysia. We only processed the paperwork for the workers sent by various sub-agents."
He said his agency had processed applications of 8,396 immigration aspirant workers.
"As an agency owner, I, along with another 1,500 agencies, applied to the Malaysian government to send workers. Coincidentally, my agency also got the job," he added.
"We have not taken a single taka more than the government fixed fee of Tk 78,900. A broker class has taken money from the workers," MP added.
There have been allegations that Malaysia-bound workers were having to pay between Tk4-Tk7 lakh in fees. Despite paying the money, about 17,000 people were unable to go to Malaysia on time as per government regulations. Their agencies failed to provide them with tickets on time.
Ruhul Amin Swapon, a leader of the syndicate-affiliated agencies and former general secretary of Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA) claimed, "The actual number of workers who did not go is around 5,000 (not 17,000). They will be sent to Malaysia through the ministry or we will return their money."
Earlier on June 2, State Minister for Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Shofiqur Rahman Chowdhury said punitive actions will be taken against those responsible for the plight of aspirant migrants who were unable to go to Malaysia despite paying substantial sums of money.
The minister said those responsible would be held accountable according to the law. "However, I don't know the MPs. We have no deal with them," he said.
