Malaysia To Bring Back Bangladesh Workers, Minister Promises This Time Will Be Different

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Malaysia is moving to reopen its labour market to Bangladeshi workers, nearly two years after slamming the door shut.

The hiring freeze, imposed in June 2024, came after a surge of workers rushed to enter the country ahead of a deadline — many arriving to find no jobs waiting.

The problems behind that chaos: trafficking allegations, exploitation, sky-high migration costs, and what officials described as a “syndicate” of agencies controlling the recruitment pipeline.

On Thursday (9 April), Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri R Ramanan met a Bangladeshi delegation in Putrajaya.

He announced both countries had agreed to accelerate the reopening — with conditions attached this time.

The list of conditions reads like a post-mortem of the previous system.

Fewer middlemen, recruitment costs paid by employers, not workers, hiring limited to licensed agencies and an AI-based system to manage the process.

Both governments also said they would take trafficking concerns seriously — notable enough that it made the official readout.

Bangladesh said it fully supports the reforms.

In practice, the reopening is expected to be gradual; Malaysia has already quietly allowed around 800 vetted workers into the construction sector between December 2025 and January 2026.

Projections suggest the country may recruit between 30,000 and 40,000 Bangladeshi workers over the coming year — no official timeline for the broader reopening was announced.

Ramanan said both sides would meet regularly to ensure the agreed measures are carried out.

Bangladeshi workers coming to Malaysia have, for years, been lied to, overcharged, and in some cases trapped.

Despite the corruption and potential risks involved, the high demand for labor in Malaysia continues to attract Bangladeshis.

Some Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia reportedly earn around RM5,000 monthly, which is significantly higher compared to typical earnings in Bangladesh.

As of mid-2025, between 800,000 and 900,000 Bangladeshi workers are legally employed in Malaysia — about one in three foreign workers in the country.

Most work in factories, construction sites, and farms.

Some Bangladeshi migrants have settled permanently in Malaysia by marrying local women — a path that opens doors to residency and running a business.

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