Malaysian govt to compensate 3 Bangladeshis

The families of each of the three Bangladeshi workers, who were killed at a construction site accident in Malaysia last week, will get Malaysian Ringgit 25,000, equivalent to around Tk 6 lakh, in damages.

Malaysian Human Resources Minister Richard Riot yesterday made the announcement of the compensation, reports local English daily The Star.

He said they are in contact with Bangladesh high commission in Kuala Lumpur and awaiting their verification of the beneficiaries.

“We do not want the money to fall into the wrong hands. We will release the money as soon as the embassy completes its verification,” the minister added.

Mantu Kumar Biswas, counsellor (labour) at the Bangladesh high commission, said the victims' employer Malaysian company Mass Rapid Transit Corporation will give the compensation according to the Malaysian labour law.

“The Bangladeshis worked here legally. So, their families will get compensation,” he told The Daily Star over the phone.

Three Bangladeshis -- Elahi Hossain and Alauddin Mollick of Pabna and Faruk Khan of Munshiganj -- were killed when a 300-tonne concrete span collapsed on them in the workplace. 

The human remains of the workers were flown in. They have been buried at their village homes.