Ending the costly cycle of migrant worker exploitation

The human chain organised by the Migrant Welfare Network (MWN) in front of the National Press Club has once again brought attention to one of Bangladesh’s most persistent labour migration challenges: the excessive cost of migration to Malaysia and the dominance of recruitment syndicates. As Prime Minister Tarique Rahman prepares for his state visit to Malaysia, the concerns raised by migrant workers deserve urgent and serious consideration.

Labour migration remains a vital pillar of Bangladesh’s economy. Millions of families depend on remittances sent by workers abroad, and Malaysia continues to be one of the most attractive destinations for Bangladeshi migrants. Yet the benefits of migration are often overshadowed by a system that imposes unbearable financial and social burdens on workers before they even leave the country.

The most alarming issue is the enormous gap between the officially approved migration cost and the amount workers actually pay. While the government has fixed the cost at around Tk 78,990, many workers reportedly spend up to Tk 600,000 to secure employment. To meet these expenses, families frequently take high-interest loans or mortgage valuable assets, trapping workers in debt long before they earn their first salary. Such a situation clearly indicates the failure of existing oversight mechanisms.

MWN’s criticism of the recruitment syndicate system is equally significant. Restricting recruitment to a select group of agencies creates opportunities for monopoly practices, corruption and inflated fees. More importantly, it undermines transparency and accountability. A fair and competitive recruitment process is essential if migration is to remain safe, affordable and beneficial for workers.

The problems do not end upon arrival in Malaysia. Reports of passport confiscation, unpaid wages, overcrowded accommodation, excessive working hours and restricted mobility reveal serious shortcomings in worker protection. Many migrants who travel legally eventually become undocumented due to administrative failures or employer misconduct, leaving them vulnerable to detention, exploitation and deportation.

The demands presented by MWN are therefore both reasonable and necessary. A binding bilateral labour agreement between Bangladesh and Malaysia, stronger regulation of recruitment agencies, mechanisms for regularising undocumented workers, and improved support services from the Bangladesh High Commission in Kuala Lumpur would help address long-standing grievances.

Bangladesh’s migrant workers are not merely sources of remittance; they are citizens whose rights and dignity must be protected. Sustainable reform will require dismantling recruitment syndicates, ensuring transparency in migration governance and holding all stakeholders accountable. The government’s response to these demands will determine whether labour migration continues to be a pathway to opportunity or remains a cycle of debt and exploitation.