During the fiscal year 2022-23, Bangladesh sent 228,097 workers to Malaysia, with 178,086 workers leaving during the second half of the fiscal period. However, the migration process to Malaysia has been marred by allegations of charging much higher migration costs than the officially-fixed rate. The government has set the migration cost to Malaysia at Tk77,990 per worker, but reports indicate that workers are paying up to Tk500,000 each.
Despite this issue, Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia play a significant role in supporting the country’s economy through remittances. In the fiscal year 2022-23, they sent remittances worth $1.12 billion back home. It is crucial for authorities to address fraudulent practices and ensure a fair and regulated migration system to protect the welfare of the workers and the overall economic stability of Bangladesh.