Acknowledging Bangladesh migrant workers’ plight in Malaysia, Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud today said the government is in constant touch with the Malaysian authorities to solve the issue.
“It is true that Bangladeshi workers are suffering there. At various times, we have raised this issue with the Malaysian authorities. We also discussed the issue when the Malaysian high commissioner called on me here recently,” he told reporters at the foreign ministry today. .
His reply came as The Daily Star asked him about the actions the government has taken to solve the issue.
On Friday, seven UN experts expressed their dismay over the situation of Bangladeshi legal migrants in Malaysia despite going there through the official labor migration process for a better future.
“The situation of Bangladeshi migrants who have lived in Malaysia for several months or longer is unsustainable and undignified,” according to the experts.
The experts noted that many migrants find on arrival in Malaysia that they do not have employment as promised and are often forced into overstaying their visas. Consequently, these migrants risk arrest, detention, ill-treatment and deportation, they added.
The independent experts who made the statements previously engaged with the governments of Malaysia and Bangladesh on these issues.
Asked about it, Hasan Mahmud said, “We are in continuous engagement with Malaysia on this issue. Not only the foreign ministry but also the expatriates’ welfare ministry is engaged.”
Asked about the postponement of Indian Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra’s visit, which was scheduled for April 20, Hasan Mahmud said it was due to India’s internal issues.
“Indian elections are underway. Thus, the visit was postponed because of various internal factors,” he said.
The foreign minister said it was not clear when the visit will be rescheduled as India haven’t conveyed anything on it yet.
According to sources, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to India has been planned for early July, and Vinay Kwatra was scheduled to visit Dhaka to discuss the preparations for the visit.
