Migrants’ body rejects syndication, demands transparent recruitment

The International Migrants Alliance (IMA) has rejected any move to revive syndicate-based recruitment in Malaysia’s labour market, calling for a transparent, fair and accountable system to protect Bangladeshi workers from excessive migration costs, fraud and exploitation.

The 10 member organisations of IMA’s Bangladesh chapter held an emergency meeting on Monday, where they collectively expressed concern over the new recruitment framework for sending workers to Malaysia and adopted a joint position.

The organisations are–the Centre for Women and Children Studies, Witness Foundation, OKUP, IMA Research Foundation, Bangladesh Ovibashi Mohila Sramik Association, Anirban, SHIELD, Sommilito Sramik Federation, Palli Society and Cox’s Bazar Probashi Forum.

A total of 338 Bangladeshi agencies will be allowed to send workers to Malaysia. The Malaysian government has directly selected 25 agencies, while the remaining 312 will work as associates. The government-run BOESL will also be involved in the process.

The ministry said the final recruitment procedure has yet to be determined and urged workers not to pay any money, undergo medical tests or submit their passports until formal instructions are issued.

In this context, the IMA said the tiered structure involving 25 principal agencies and 312 associate agencies is not genuine reform but rather a new form of syndication, where control and the power to determine recruitment costs remain concentrated in the hands of a few.

Addressing the programme, Parvez Siddiqui, executive director of Witness Foundation, said, “We do not want a syndicate of 25, 338 or any other number. There must be equal and open opportunities for all licensed recruiting agencies in the country.”

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He further said that Malaysia had adopted this practice only in the case of Bangladesh, but not for Nepal, Pakistan or Myanmar.

“Therefore, we believe the agreement under which Malaysia has adopted this practice only for Bangladesh is not appropriate for the country at this moment. The agreement must be amended,” he said.

On a positive note, the ministry said Malaysia has agreed in principle to recruit 10,000 workers at zero migration cost, with the first group set to travel through BOESL on special chartered flights. While welcoming the commitment, the alliance called for independent verification and full transparency to ensure that it does not remain merely a promise.

The IMA also demanded rejection of syndicates or sub-syndicate structures, ensuring equal opportunities for all licensed agencies, transparently and verifiably implementing the commitment to exclude agencies involved in syndication, and independently verifying the announced recruitment of 10,000 workers at zero cost and gradually extending the initiative to the entire recruitment process.

It also called for immediately refunding the full amount of money paid by stranded workers and ensuring safe working conditions, dignity and accessible grievance mechanisms for workers in Malaysia.