MALAYSIA and Bangladesh have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening strategic cooperation on labour migration, with a renewed focus on transparency, ethical recruitment and system integrity.
The understanding was reached during a courtesy call by a Bangladesh delegation led by Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Choudhury, accompanied by the nation’s Prime Minister’s Adviser Mahdi Amin, with Malaysia’s Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in Putrajaya on Thursday.
Malaysia’s Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri R. Ramanan, who attended the meeting, said discussions centred on improving governance of cross-border labour flows while addressing persistent challenges in recruitment practices.
“Among the key matters agreed were efforts to expedite the reopening of the labour market for Bangladeshi workers based on sectoral needs in Malaysia, as well as ensuring a fair, ethical and transparent recruitment process.
“This includes reducing the role of intermediaries, lowering costs and utilising only legitimate and qualified recruitment agencies,” Bernama quoted him saying today.
Ramanan added that Malaysia had also presented plans to introduce a technology- and artificial intelligence-based recruitment system aimed at reducing reliance on middlemen and ensuring that hiring costs are fully borne by employers, in line with the International Labour Organization’s Employer Pays principle.
He said Bangladesh expressed full support for the initiative and readiness to collaborate on its implementation.
The talks also addressed legal concerns and risks linked to human trafficking in labour recruitment, with both sides emphasising adherence to the rule of law, transparent justice processes and the need to safeguard their respective international reputations.
“Both parties stressed the importance of upholding the rule of law, ensuring transparent justice processes and protecting their international reputations.
“In addition, cooperation in skills development, training, certification and information sharing was emphasised to improve matching between industry needs and the workforce, thereby enhancing productivity,” he said.
Ramanan said engagement between the two countries would continue on a regular basis to ensure effective implementation of agreed measures.
“This cooperation reflects a shared commitment to building a more equitable, sustainable and globally competitive labour migration system,” he said. - April 9, 2026
