Malaysia pledges to strengthen protection of Bangladeshi workers’ rights

KATHMANDU: Anwar Ibrahim has reaffirmed his government’s commitment to strengthening protections for Bangladeshi migrant workers, stressing that exploitation and abuse of workers will not be tolerated under any circumstances.

Speaking at a joint press conference following talks with Bangladeshi political leader Tarique Rahman on Monday, Anwar emphasized that safeguarding migrant rights is a shared responsibility crucial to both nations’ stability and economic cooperation.

Malaysia is currently home to around 800,000 Bangladeshi workers, making up nearly one-third of its migrant workforce.

In recent years, several cases have surfaced involving unpaid wages, recruitment fraud, and excessive hiring fees that have left many workers stranded and heavily indebted.

The issue has raised growing international concern, with human rights experts warning that many migrant workers are being trapped in cycles of debt bondage due to unethical recruitment practices.

Anwar reiterated that labor cooperation must be based on transparency and fairness, adding that exploitation in any form is unacceptable. He also stressed the need for stronger enforcement against those responsible for abuse.

Bangladeshi representatives, including Rahman, called for a more transparent, affordable, and regulated recruitment system, along with a reduction in intermediaries who often inflate costs and facilitate exploitation.

United Nations human rights experts have also urged both governments to take stronger action against perpetrators and ensure accountability in labor recruitment systems.