Manpower recruiting agencies in Bangladesh at a press conference Thursday expressed their position against the syndicate recruiting Malaysia-bound workers, saying they could launder 25 thousand crore taka from the country.
The joint press conference also demanded elimination of money launders, human traffickers, anti-development and anti-independence syndicates from the export of manpower to Malaysia.
The press meet was held at the National Press Club, organized by the Sommilito Somonnoy Front of the Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA).
SSF Acting President Reaz-ul-Islam and Secretary-General Mostafa Mahmud presented the information in written statements as well as responded to the reporters. Also present at the press conference were Golam Mostafa Babul, Siraj Miah, Redwan Khan Borhan, and many others.
They also demanded for keeping the market open for all legitimate recruiting agencies by scarping the so-called syndicate of 25 agencies involved in manpower exports to Malaysia.
The front highlighted the losses incurred by the nation as a result of exporting workers through syndicates in the years 2016, 2017, and 2018. At that time, the export of workers was estimated at 15 lac but only 2.74 lac people could go through them while 12.25 lac people lost their guaranteed job opportunities.
The immigration fee was fixed at Tk 1,60,000 but the syndicate realized Tk 3,50,000 to Tk 4,00,000 from an individual, they said. They realized an additional Tk 200,000 to 250,000 from poor people and this way siphoned five thousand crore taka (Tk 500,000,00) during the period. And 1,200 recruiting agencies in the country were totally deprived of manpower exports.
The keynote also said after a long three-year shutdown, the two countries (BD and Malay) signed a memorandum of understanding on December 19, 2021, to reopen the market. The whole nation hoped that the export of workers would start as soon as the agreement is signed. But due to the inaction of the syndicate, it hasn’t been virtualized. In 2016, the number of members of the syndicate was 10 but now it has increased to 25, said the paper. Due to the conspiracy of the so-called 25-member syndicate, we are still unable to export workers to Malaysia.
