Regularise undocumented migrants

Bangladesh would request Malaysia to regularise the 400,000-odd undocumented Bangladeshi migrants during the three-day visit of Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus to the Southeast Asian country beginning today.

More than 800,000 Bangladeshis work there as regular workers and almost half of them are on an irregular status, according to diplomatic sources in Dhaka and Kuala Lumpur,.

"Those irregular ones say that you are talking about recruiting new workers, but why not regularising the irregular ones. Therefore, we are raising this issue with an urgent basis," a foreign ministry official told The Daily Star yesterday.

Malaysia froze the recruitment of foreign workers on May 31 last year following massive irregularities and malpractices in the labour hiring process under a syndicate of 101 recruiting agents.

Each worker had to pay between Tk 4-5 lakh for jobs, but thousands of them ended up jobless or under-employed thanks to their agents' malpractices. Eventually, many of them were forced to become undocumented.

Currently, there are frequent raids and detention of irregular workers, Abu Hayat, an independent researcher from Kuala Lumpur, told this correspondent.

Meanwhile, Dhaka may sign five memorandums of understanding (MoU) during the Chief Adviser's visit of Makaysia.

The MoUs pertain to defence cooperation, energy cooperation, formation of Business Councils (FBCCI and NCCIM), Cooperation between BMCCI and Malaysian institution MIMOS and Cooperation between Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) and Malaysian Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS).

In addition, three 'exchanges of notes' may also be signed between the two countries on cooperation in the halal ecosystem, higher education and diplomatic training academy, said Shah Asif Rahman, Director General (Public Diplomacy) at the ministry of foreign affairs, at a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy yesterday.

Bangladesh's application to become a 'Sectoral Dialogue Partner' of ASEAN and to join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) will be strongly highlighted during the visit.

In addition, the ASEAN member states, including Malaysia, will be called upon to play a more active and effective role in the repatriation of Rohingyas, he added.

The visit will be an action-packed one, said Shafiqul Alam, the chief adviser's Press Secretary.

"We will hold deeper and broader discussions on all issues," Alam said.

Malaysia remains a key destination for Bangladeshi workers, he said, adding that recruitment and visa-related matters will be addressed during the visit.

Bangladesh will also seek Malaysian cooperation in deep-sea fishing and electric vehicle manufacturing through joint ventures, he said.

Yunus is scheduled to leave Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport for Kuala Lumpur today on the invitation of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who made an official visit to Bangladesh in October last year.

Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain, Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Adviser Asif Nazrul, Energy Adviser Fouzul Kabir Khan, National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman, Chief Adviser's Special Envoy on International Affairs Lutfey Siddiqi, Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) Executive Chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun and foreign secretary Asad Alam Siam are likely to accompany Yunus during the visit.

Yunus and Anwar Ibrahim will lead the delegation-level meeting on Tuesday.

He will later attend a Business Forum jointly to be organised by the Bangladesh High Commission, BIDA and Malaysia's Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI), where the formation of the Bangladesh-Malaysia Joint Business Council will be announced.

Yunus will attend a series of courtesy meetings before joining dinner to be hosted by the High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Malaysia.

On Wednesday morning, Yunus will visit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. The King of Negeri Sembilan and Chancellor of UKM, Malaysia's Minister of Higher Education, pro-chancellors and vice-chancellors will attend the ceremony, where Yunus will be presented with an academic gown.

The Chief Adviser is scheduled to return to Dhaka on Wednesday night.