Fahmi: '200k workers from Bangladesh to Malaysia' claim not official position

A Bangladeshi minister claimed that Malaysia intends to recruit 200,000 Bangladeshi workers in the next six months, but this is not the official stance of the Bangladeshi government, according to government spokesman Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil. Human Resources Minister R. Ramanan informed Fahmi that the statement came from a junior minister and should not be considered an official declaration by Bangladesh.

Fahmi stated during a press conference that the claim does not represent the official decision of the Bangladeshi government. Yesterday, Junior Minister Mir Shahe Alam stated that Malaysia plans to recruit about 200,000 Bangladeshi workers over the next six months through companies approved by Malaysian authorities. Recruitment would begin in phases at the end of September and be completed within six months.

In June, Bangladesh's Prime Minister Tarique Rahman had urged Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to reconsider opening the country's labor market to Bangladeshi workers. Malaysia had restricted Bangladeshi worker recruitment in 2024 due to reports of exploitation, including debt bondage, forced labor, and workers arriving without promised jobs.

The reported intake comes as Putrajaya aims to reduce foreign worker dependency, targeting a reduction to about 10 percent of the total workforce by 2030. The New Straits Times is seeking further clarification from Ramanan.