Latest news with #labourmigration
Free Malaysia Today
15-05-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Malaysia asks Bangladesh to withdraw migrant labour probes
More than one million Bangladeshis have worked in Malaysia over the past two decades, with at least 945,000 living in the country as of October 2024. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : The government has asked Bangladesh to review and withdraw 'unsubstantiated allegations' of wrongdoing in labour migration between the two countries to improve Malaysia's rating in an annual US report on human trafficking. 'Allegations of human trafficking and money laundering – largely unsubstantiated – have impacted the Malaysian reputation,' Azman Yusof, secretary-general of the human resources ministry, wrote in a letter dated April 23. Bloomberg News reviewed a copy of the letter, which was sent to Neyamat Ullah Bhuiyan, senior secretary of Bangladesh's ministry of expatriates' welfare and overseas employment. An official familiar with the letter confirmed its authenticity. The two governments are in talks to restart the recruitment of Bangladeshi workers by Malaysian companies. Malaysia halted all such recruitment a year ago following widespread reports of workers who did not get the jobs they were promised despite paying thousands of dollars in fees, drawing criticism from the United Nations. Both Bangladesh's police and anti-corruption agency have opened investigations into recruitment matters since then. Azman asked Neyamat to review all pending allegations and withdraw those without merit, to ensure that Malaysia 'will preserve and enhance' its Trafficking in Persons (TIP) rankings, referring to the US state department's assessment. It ranks countries based on their efforts to acknowledge and fight human trafficking. 'In addition, we request to prevent the revival of dismissed cases through a formal mechanism,' Azman wrote. Neyamat and Asif Nazrul, who is part of Bangladesh's Cabinet and oversees the expat ministry, both declined to comment on the letter. A representative for Malaysia's human resources ministry did not respond to a request for comment. It is not clear if Bangladesh has responded to the letter. It was sent just weeks ahead of high-level meetings between Malaysian and Bangladeshi officials to discuss recruitment. Neyamat and Asif are poised to meet home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail and human resources minister Steven Sim in Putrajaya on Thursday. Labour flow Labour migration is one of Bangladesh's most important industries but can involve fees that saddle workers with debts and make them vulnerable to abuse as they go abroad. Malaysia is one of their main destinations. More than one million Bangladeshis have gone to work in the Southeast Asian country over the past two decades, with at least 945,000 living there as of October 2024, government figures show. Human rights activists have documented numerous cases of Bangladeshi and other migrant workers facing abuse including debt bondage. That has impacted Malaysia's human trafficking record. For more than a decade the US has said the country does not meet standards under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. In eight of the last 10 years, the US has said Malaysia either is not making significant efforts to rectify this, or that its efforts are not sufficient to remedy the problem. A low TIP ranking means a country can be restricted from accessing foreign assistance funding from the US. It might also face resistance by US representatives at the International Monetary Fund and other multilateral institutions for access to loans. Last year, Bangladesh started investigations related to labour migration. Bangladesh's police in October asked the Malaysian government to arrest and extradite two businessmen as part of a probe into alleged money laundering, extortion and trafficking of migrant workers. Bangladesh's Anti-Corruption Commission is also investigating a group of recruitment agency owners and former lawmakers over allegations of embezzlement related to labour migration to Malaysia, according to a local media report.
Zawya
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission Holds Pre-Validation Consultation on Labour Migration Strategy Ahead of Accra Session
The ECOWAS Commission, through its Directorate of Humanitarian and Social Affairs, convened a high-level virtual consultation with Member States, regional social partners, and development stakeholders on 6 May 2025 to review and enrich the Draft ECOWAS Labour Migration Strategy and Action Plan (2025–2035). The pre-validation meeting represents a crucial step towards finalising the Strategy, which is designed to strengthen the governance of labour migration across the ECOWAS region. Anchored in the ECOWAS Vision 2050 and the Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, the Strategy is being developed through a participatory and inclusive approach involving Member States, the African Union Commission (AUC), International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), under the Joint Labour Migration Programme (JLMP), with support from the European Union and the, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency. The Commission reaffirmed that the Labour Migration Strategy constitutes a strategic response to current migration dynamics in West Africa, and reflects ECOWAS' commitment to advancing human mobility as a driver of regional integration, economic development, and social inclusion. It further emphasised the importance of aligning the Strategy with the AU-Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The consultation focused on five strategic pillars of the Strategy: promotion of regular migration and labour mobility; protection of migrant workers' rights; maximisation of migration's developmental impact; gender and social inclusion; and enhanced regional cooperation and institutional capacity. The document, which consolidates regional legal frameworks and emerging priorities, was presented in detail by the lead consultant, with statistical insights highlighting that West Africa hosts over 8.2 million international migrants, nearly half of whom are women. Representatives of Member States welcomed the Draft and provided constructive input, particularly on the harmonisation of labour migration data, ethical recruitment practices, diaspora engagement, and the facilitation of remittance flows. Several Member States called for greater investment in national capacity-building and alignment of national policies with the regional framework. Speaking during the session, Mr. Albert Siaw-Boateng, Director of Free Movement of Persons and Migration, highlighted ECOWAS' continued advocacy efforts and technical work with national immigration services. He noted the importance of being 'ambassadors of the ECOWAS vision,' calling for collective responsibility in raising awareness of regional rights and obligations. Social partners, including representatives from trade unions and employers' organisations, emphasised the need for gender-responsive budgeting, reintegration pathways for returnees, and protection for low-skilled and informal sector migrant workers. The Action Plan—comprising over 130 activities mapped to specific outcomes and implementation responsibilities—was praised as a robust and actionable roadmap. The results of the virtual consultation will inform the revised draft of the ECOWAS Labour Migration Strategy and Action Plan to be tabled at the in-person validation workshop scheduled to take place in Accra, Ghana, from 13 to 15 May 2025. The ECOWAS Commission reiterated its gratitude to all partners and participants for their continued collaboration and reaffirmed its dedication to promoting safe, regular, and rights-based labour migration for the benefit of all ECOWAS citizens. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
