Action against agencies if they charge extra

Expatriates' welfare ministry will take action against unscrupulous recruiting agencies if they charge additional money from Malaysia-bound migrant workers, said Ahmed Munirus Saleheen, secretary of the ministry, yesterday.

"We want to take action against such agencies," he said, urging cheated migrant workers to lodge complaints in this regard to the ministry.

He was responding to a query from journalists, during a press briefing at the ministry, about recruiting agencies allegedly charging up to Tk 4.5 lakh to send workers to Malaysia.

The government has set Tk 78,990 maximum as migration cost  to send workers to Malaysia.

The Southeast Asian country reopened its labour market for Bangladesh this year, with the first batch of workers reaching there in early August.

The press briefing was arranged to inform media about the ministry's preparation regarding celebration of International Migrants Day today.

The secretary said no migrant worker has so far lodged a complaint with the ministry against any recruiting agency.

He said although they have an enforcement wing to take step against irregularities in the labour-migration sector,  such enforcement becomes easier if specific complaint is received.

Shahidul Alam, director general of Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training, said they have so far issued smart-cards to about 35,000 Malaysia-bound migrant workers upon completion of their emigration clearance at the bureau.

Regarding celebration of International Migrants Day, secretary Saleheen said they will arrange the national programme at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital today.

Like previous years, the government this year will recognise non-resident Bangladeshis (NRBs) with the Commercially Important Person (CIP) award in two categories.

A total of 67 NRBs will get the award during the programme. Of them, 57 will get the award for "sending highest amount of remittance through authorised channel" and another 10 will be recognised for "importing Bangladeshi goods".

Saleheen said although the number of Bangladeshi migrant workers has increased over the years, the country has not receive the expected remittance.

He said a team of the ministry recently visited three countries and identified some concerns in a report regarding the remittance situation, hoping that improvement will be seen in this regard in future.