Malaysia to reopen labour market for Bangladesh

Malaysia has agreed to reopen its labour market for Bangladeshi workers and work toward reducing migration costs, following a bilateral meeting between officials of both countries, according to a joint statement.

The agreement came during high-level talks in Putrajaya, where both sides discussed expanding manpower recruitment based on sector-specific demand and ensuring a more transparent and ethical hiring process.

Bangladesh’s Labour and Expatriates’ Welfare Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury met Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim during the visit, alongside Prime Minister’s Adviser Mahdi Amin and the High Commissioner, reports BSS.

During the meeting, Malaysia reportedly expressed interest in accelerating the reopening process of its labour market for Bangladeshi workers and strengthening cooperation in manpower management.

Both sides agreed to work toward reducing recruitment costs by limiting intermediaries, engaging verified recruitment agencies and ensuring smoother deployment of workers, including those currently stranded.

The discussions also focused on aligning labour supply with Malaysia’s market demand through skills development, training, certification and improved information exchange between the two countries.

According to the joint statement, Malaysia is planning to introduce a technology-driven, AI-based recruitment system for all labour-sending countries. The system aims to reduce middlemen involvement and shift recruitment costs toward employers, in line with International Labour Organization principles.

Bangladesh expressed support for the initiative and said it is ready to cooperate in implementing a digital recruitment platform to ensure a fair and efficient labour migration process.

Both sides also discussed concerns related to ongoing legal cases involving labour recruitment and stressed the need for due process and protection of international reputations.

Officials said the meeting reaffirmed the long-standing partnership between the two countries in labour migration and opened the door for broader cooperation in trade, investment and education.

The two countries also explored opportunities to deepen people-to-people ties through academic exchanges and institutional collaboration.

Authorities from both sides expressed optimism that the renewed engagement will help create a more transparent, cost-effective and sustainable labour migration system.