Manpower recruiting agencies in Bangladesh on Thursday at a press conference expressed their position against the syndicate recruiting Malaysia-bound workers saying that they could launder 25 thousand crore taka from the country.
The joint press conference also demanded elimination of money launders, human traffickers, anti-development and anti-independence syndicates from the export of manpower to Malaysia. The press meet was held at the National Press Club, organized by the SommilitoSomonnoy Front of the Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA). SSF Acting President Reaz-ul-Islam and Secretary-General Mostafa Mahmud presented the information in written statements as well as responded to the reporters. Also present at the press conference were Golam Mostafa Babul, Siraj Miah, Redwan Khan Borhan, and many others. They also demanded for keeping the market open for all legitimate recruiting agencies by scarping the so-called syndicate of 25 agencies involved in manpower exports to Malaysia. The front highlighted the losses incurred by the nation as a result of exporting workers through syndicates in the years 2016, 2017, and 2018. At that time, the export of workers was estimated at 15 lac but only 2.74 lac people could go through them while 12.25 lac people lost their guaranteed job opportunities.
The immigration fee was fixed at Tk 1,60,000 but the syndicate realized Tk 3,50,000 to Tk 4,00,000 from an individual, they said. They realized an additional Tk 200,000 to 250,000 from poor people and this way siphoned five thousand crore taka (Tk 500,000,00) during the period. And 1,200 recruiting agencies in the country were totally deprived of manpower exports.
Currently, Malaysia needs 15 to 20 lac foreign workers in the next 3 years but this year the twenty-five recruiting syndicate could realize an additional Tk 20 to 30 thousand crores from the innocent workers opting for Malaysia.
