The High Court (HC) wanted to know what action has been taken against recruiting agencies responsible for the failure to send 17,777 workers to Malaysia.
After receiving inquiry report from the Ministry, the HC bench also enquired whether the affected workers, who had completed all necessary procedures but were ultimately unable to travel, have been refunded their money and what progress has been made regarding their potential deployment to Malaysia.
The High Court bench comprising Justice Fahmida Quader and Justice Mubina Asaf directed the Secretary of the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment and other relevant authorities to submit a progress report on the matter before it within August 27.
The HC bench came up with the directive after receiving a report submitted by the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare before it stating that recruiting agencies were responsible for the failure to send the 17,777 workers.
Earlier on June 30 last year, the HC wanted to know what actions have been taken against those responsible for preventing several thousand workers from travelling to Malaysia despite having valid visas and other necessary documents.
This directive was issued by a High Court bench comprising Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice SM Masud Hasan during the hearing of a writ petition filed in this regard.
The order has been given to the Secretary of the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment, the Inspector General of Police, and the General Secretary of BAIRA. The petitioners' lawyers, Md Tanvir Ahmed and Biplab Poddar, were present during the hearing.
On June 2 last year, a national daily published a report titled "Dreams of 30,000 Youths Shattered, Tk 20,000 Crore Looted."
The report highlighted the plight of individuals like Adnan Rahman, 28, from Mymensingh, who sold his mother's jewellery and 20 decimal land, raising Tk 0.68 million (Tk 6.8 lakh), including some borrowed money, to pay an agency.
Adnan hoped to transform his family's fortunes by working in Malaysia, but due to the agency's fraud, he could not fly out - his dreams crushed and left in despair, along with over 30,000 other youths who were similarly defrauded.
