Speakers at a discussion meeting on Wednesday demanded to take necessary steps to arrest and punish the members of the recruiting agency syndicate, which have occupied the market of Malaysia, for laundering around US$8 billion to different countries charging extra from the migrants.
Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU) organized the discussion meeting titled 'Syndicate in Malaysian Market: Assessment of losses and ensuring accountability' in Dhaka Reporters' Unity auditorium at Segunbagucha in Dhaka.
Executive Director of RMMRU Dr C R Abrar presided over the event while former Joint Secretary General of Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA) Fakhrul Islam, former BAIRA EC member Mostafa Mahmud, WARBE Foundation Chairman Syed Saiful Haque, independent Swiss development agency 'Helvetas Bangladesh' Project Director Abul Bashar also spoke the event.
Dr C R Abrar said that influence of syndicate in the Malaysian market continues since last 10 years. The masterminds of the syndicate are still active though some members changed. Due to the syndicate, the intending migrants and migrants are being loser financially.
To prevent them, Bangladesh and Malaysia must work together, the RMMRU chief emphasized.
Fakhrul Islam urged the government to amend the memorandum, of understanding (MoU) signed between the two countries, so that Bangladesh can also get equal facilities like the other 14 worker sending nations to send workers to the South Asian country.
He claimed that some errant businessmen have been controlling the entire recruitment system for Malaysia instead of giving online supports to the intending migrants. As a result, the migration cost for the Bangladeshis increasing and discrimination is being created among the country's recruiting agencies.
If the migrants are sent through the supervision of the government from its lists, the migration cost in Malaysia would lessen to only Tk1.50 lakh, he claimed.
