The High Court on Tuesday asked the authorities concerned to explain why they should not be directed to refund, with interest, the money of 17,777 workers, who could not fly to Malaysia within the specified timeframe even after they paid the required money.
At the same time, the HC also asked the government to explain why its inaction to take steps against those who involved in taking whimsical decision to push the workers life in danger by this wrong process should not be declared illegal.
The High Court bench of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice SM Masud Hossain Dolan issued the rule after hearing a writ petition filed in this regard.
The HC bench asked the Ministry of Expatriate Welfare and Foreign Employment, along with other stakeholders, to reply to the rule within four weeks.
The HC bench also ordered the authorities concerned to submit a report on the matter every three months.
The HC bench came up with the order after receiving a report from the Ministry of Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment that submitted a probe report before it on July 15 stating that the ministry has ordered the recruiting agencies concerned to settle all debts and credits of intending Bangladeshi workers, who could not be sent to Malaysia even after they paid the required money.
Around 17,777 job seekers were not able to reach Malaysia. A hundred recruiting agencies have also been issued show cause notices, asking them to give explanations about their failures by July 18.
The ministry placed the report through Deputy Attorney General Tushar Kanti Roy before the HC bench in compliance with its previous order that had on June 30 wanted to learn what steps have been taken against the mismanagement that led to Bangladeshi jobseekers failing to reach Malaysia before the deadline of May 31 this year.
Supreme Court lawyer Advocate Md Tanvir Ahmed and Advocate Biplab Poddar had earlier filed the writ petition with the HC seeking its order in this regard.
