Malaysia to resume hiring Bangladeshi workers after 2-year suspension

Malaysia is preparing to reopen its labour market for Bangladeshi workers after nearly two years of suspension, with both countries working toward a recruitment system that is more transparent and less expensive, according to Prime Minister’s Office spokesperson and Overseas Employment Adviser Mahdi Amin.

Speaking to reporters at the Secretariat on Tuesday after returning from Malaysia, Mahdi said he travelled with Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury to discuss how manpower exports could restart as quickly as possible.

He said the Bangladeshi delegation met Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who listened carefully to Bangladesh’s position in the presence of officials from several Malaysian ministries. 

During the talks, Bangladesh asked for cooperation in reopening the labour market, and Anwar instructed the relevant authorities to take steps to resume recruitment without delay.

The discussions also focused on lowering migration costs and improving transparency in the recruitment process for workers going to Malaysia. 

Mahdi said Bangladesh made clear that its priority is to ensure overseas employment through a fair system that keeps costs affordable for workers.

He also noted that Malaysia plans to launch an artificial intelligence based recruitment platform that would be used not only for Bangladeshi workers but for job seekers from other countries as well.

Mahdi said a joint statement has already been issued after the visit, reflecting the shared position of both sides. 

He described it as an important step forward and said the agreement shows growing cooperation between Dhaka and Kuala Lumpur on worker protection, transparency and lower migration costs.