Malaysia has expressed interest in recruiting around 200,000 workers from Bangladesh within the next six months. This development comes as a result of the Bangladesh government's continued diplomatic efforts. Of these, 10,000 workers will have the opportunity to travel completely free of charge following a special request from the Bangladesh government. Prime Minister's Information and Broadcasting Adviser Dr Zahed Ur Rahman disclosed this at a weekly briefing on the progress of various government activities held at the Press Information Department (PID) at the Secretariat.
Free Passage for 10,000 Workers
Dr Zahed announced that the first group of workers being sent to Malaysia completely free of charge would travel on a special chartered flight through the government-owned Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services Limited (BOESL). This initiative aims to set a new precedent by bringing the cost of migration down to zero.
Increased Recruiting Agencies
Regarding efforts to break syndicates in the labor market and increase the number of recruiting agencies, Dr Zahed said under a decision by the Malaysian government, 25 recruiting agencies had been approved. Additionally, another 312 agencies have been authorized to send workers as associate recruitment agencies. This brings the total number of authorized recruiting agencies to 338, including BOESL, ensuring a more transparent process.
Other Government Initiatives
The adviser also highlighted other development initiatives and policy decisions of the government. He mentioned the distribution of Family Cards to 41 lakh families under the social safety-net program, which would begin across the country in phases from October 10. Additionally, the country has an adequate stock of 12 lakh 861 thousand metric tons of fertilizer. Under the Food-Friendly Program, 55 lakh poor families are being provided 30 kilograms of rice per month at Tk 15 per kilogram.
Electricity and Energy Plans
To address electricity shortages in rural areas and increase power supply to industries outside Dhaka, the government is reducing electricity consumption by Dhaka Electric Supply Company (DESCO) and Dhaka Power Distribution Company (DPDC), while distributing load-shedding evenly across the country. The government also plans to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply within the next one and a half to two years through the commissioning of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant and a new FSRU (Floating Storage and Regasification Unit).
