Malaysia to recruit 1.5 lakh Bangladeshi workers

Dhaka, Feb 14 (UNI) Malaysia will recruit 150,000 workers from Bangladesh and the process for sending them has already started, Foreign Affairs Advisor Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury said here today.

The Advisor told reporters here that of the 150,000 workers, 26,000 got clearance from the Malaysian authorities and 18,000 already left for Kuala Lumpur.

Presently, some 300,000 Bangladeshi workers are employed in Malaysia.

The Foreign Affairs Advisor assured that appropriate steps were being taken against the unscrupulous manpower agencies for forgery and harassment while sending Bangladeshi workers abroad, as the present government was engaged in combating corruption.

He said the Labour Wings in Bangladesh Missions abroad were being strengthened while Consul Generals or honorary Consuls would be appointed, wherever necessary, to boost manpower export.

Bangladesh receive remittance of more than 5 billion dollars, annually, from the expatriate workers, mostly employed in West Asian countries.

Asked about sending housemaids on job to foreign countries, Labour and Employment Secretary Ashfaq Hamid said there was a demand from Muslim countries for housemaids from Bangladesh.

''We want to send housemaids but before taking a final decision, we are examining various aspects,'' he said.

UNI