Thursday, October 9, 2025

Many may miss amnesty chance

Malaysian employers unwilling to pay levy for regularisation of illegal workers
A large number of undocumented Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia might be left out of the regularisation process due to refusal of many employers to pay the levy they are supposed to pay for the foreign workers.
There are around five lakh Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia with an estimated three lakh of them undocumented. And almost all of them want to stay back and work, said officials at the Bangladesh high commission in Kuala Lumpur.
Late last month, Malaysia offered amnesty to irregular foreign workers, giving them opportunity to get regularised for jobs or return home without facing penalty.
Those unregistered will face arrest and punishment.
For regularisation, the workers must get registered with the government. The registration process will begin on July 18 and continue for two weeks.
Once registered, the workers will be given immigration cards allowing them to work in Malaysia until they are issued visa, said the Bangladesh high commission officials.
Malaysian immigration department will get the workers registered free of cost at its offices across the country, Bangladesh High Commissioner to Malaysia, AKM Atiqur Rahman, told The Daily Star over the phone.
Besides, it has hired some private firms to do the job since there are about a million irregular foreign workers in the country. The firms will charge each worker Malaysian Ringgit (RM) 200 to 300 (1 RM equivalent to Tk 24.60), Atiqur said.
From August 8, the employers will have to submit passports of the migrant workers and pay levy ranging from RM 2,000 to 2,500 per head depending on the job sectors, he said.
Some migrants, however, said the amount of levy might be RM 3,000 to 4,000 each.
Asked about this, Anisur Rahman Khan, coordinator of migrant’s rights body IMA Research Foundation, said they are worried as many of the employers are reluctant to pay the levy.
Anis, who recently visited Malaysia and talked to undocumented workers, said, “Many employers actually prefer irregular workers because they can make them work at low wages and can dodge labour law in case of any accident.”
As per Malaysian rules, the employers are supposed to pay annual levy for work permits for foreign workers, but in reality, they pass it onto the migrants.
“The same thing is going to happen this time also,” said Bangladeshi worker Torab Hossain, who lives in the Malaysian state of Negeri Sembilan.
He thinks a small number of employers will pay the levy but the others will not. Most of the undocumented Bangladeshis do not earn much because of their irregular status and they will not be able to pay the levy, he pointed out.
“We fear a large number of Bangladeshi workers will be unable to get regularised though they are adamant to stay back and work,” Torab said.
Besides, unscrupulous elements claiming to be authorised manpower agents are fleecing the migrants in the name of registration, said Torab, who works in a remittance transfer company and meets many workers every day.
“Brokers are taking thumbprints of irregular workers on fake registration forms and are charging RM 300 to 500 from each. The foul play began following Malaysia’s announcement of the amnesty,” he said.
The migrant workers should be warned of this to avoid being arrested and deported when the registration process is over, he added.
The high commissioner said they have received allegations of such cheating and are asking the workers through the media not to give money to any brokers, but to go to the immigration offices to get registered.
“Our officials are also going to factories, listing names of irregular workers and asking them to follow the rules set by the Malaysian authorities.”
Atiqur Rahman also said, “The high commission has sought cooperation of the Malaysian authorities to ensure that the employers do not pass on the levy to the migrants.”
If undocumented migrants have no employers to help their regularisation, they can individually get registered. Malaysian authorities will keep a separate list of foreign workers having no employers and help them find jobs, said the diplomat.
It is, however, yet not clear who will pay their levy.

-WIth The Daily Star input

Related News

Bangladesh and KSA sign pact for workers’ rights

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia have just inked a labour recruitment agreement, marking the first deal aimed at promoting fair recruitment practices and protecting workers’ rights. Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Adviser, Prof. Asif Nazrul, and the Saudi Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, Engineer Ahmad Bin Solaiman Al-Rajhi, recently came ... Read more

Poor pay, allowances of teachers affect education

World Teacher’s Day today Shahin Akhter Poor pay-scale and allowances and low social status mark the poor condition of the teachers in Bangladesh affecting the education sector, observed educationists and researchers. They also said that the Bangladeshi teachers were lagging much behind their fellows even in the neighbouring countries in terms of these facilities and ... Read more

Protecting hilsa: 22-day fishing ban begins

News Desk : dhakamirror.com The government has put a 22-day halt on catching, transporting, storing, selling, and marketing hilsa throughout the country. This measure aims to protect the fish during its crucial breeding season. The ban started at midnight yesterday and will last until October 25, as stated in a notification from the Ministry of ... Read more

Road fatalities: 446 crashes, 417 lives lost in September

News Desk : dhakamirror.com In September, a tragic report from the Road Safety Foundation revealed that at least 417 people lost their lives and 682 were injured in 446 road accidents throughout Bangladesh. Among those who died, there were 63 women and 47 children, as highlighted in the foundation’s monthly report released today. In 151 ... Read more

Man’s fatal fall into Ramna Park lake

News Desk : dhakamirror.com A tragic incident occurred yesterday at Ramna Park in the capital, where a man drowned in the lake. The victim has been identified as 55-year-old Wasimul Haq. The police were able to identify him using fingerprint records. According to Ramna police SI Mizanur Rahman, he was discovered unconscious around 6:00 PM ... Read more

Tariff Commission’s size-based hilsa pricing strategy

News Desk : dhakamirror.com The Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission (BTTC), also known as the Tariff Commission, has suggested setting a maximum retail price for hilsa based on its size. This recommendation comes in response to the unusual spike in prices seen in the local market. On Sunday, the Tariff Commission released a report detailing ... Read more

Ekushey Book Fair won’t happen in December

News Desk : dhakamirror.com The Bangla Academy announced yesterday (28 September), that the previously scheduled dates for the Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2026 have been postponed. In a press release, they explained that this decision was made following a directive from the Ministry of Home Affairs on September 21, which indicated that the fair should ... Read more

Working in Bangladesh is quite challenging: CEC

News Desk : dhakamirror.com The Election Commission is grappling with a mix of challenges, both seen and unseen, as it gears up for the upcoming elections and responds to various demands, shared chief election commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin on Saturday. “These hurdles might not be apparent from the outside, but we’re constantly navigating through them,” ... Read more

Travel ban on Keokradong hill to be lifted starting from 1 October

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Great news for travelers! Keokradong hill in Bandarban’s Ruma upazila is set to welcome tourists again starting October 1. The district administration has finally lifted the travel ban that had been in effect for almost three years. Bandarban Deputy Commissioner (DC) Shamim Ara Rini announced the decision today (27 September) during ... Read more

Tree planting campaign to lower pollution, make city more attractive

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Administrator Md Shahjahan Mia has inaugurated a tree plantation and greening programme covering 33 road medians, spanning a total length of 31 kilometres, within the corporation’s jurisdiction. Under the “Zero Soil” programme, ornamental flowering trees and grasses will be planted across 28 DSCC medians, while the ... Read more

Krishi Bank ranks third in remittance collection

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Krishi Bank has shown remarkable success in collecting remittances from expatriates during the first eight months of 2025 (January–August). Known as bank for farmers due to its agricultural loan services, this state-owned institution has climbed to the third position in remittance collection from abroad in that timeframe. This notable achievement has ... Read more

North Bay low : Rain forecast for Bangladesh

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Many parts of the country is expected to witness moderate to heavy and very heavy rainfall in the coming days due to the formation of a low-pressure system over the north Bay and adjoining coastal areas, the Met office said in its latest forecast. According to Bangladesh Meteorological Department’s 120-hour weather ... Read more

Metrorail boosts service: Extended hours & more frequent arrivals

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Dhaka metrorail service is set to start operating earlier in the morning and later at night to better serve the growing number of passengers. Service hours will be extended by 30 minutes at both the beginning and end of the day, and the interval between trains will be reduced by nearly ... Read more

22% minors in Bangladesh’s sex trade

News Desk : dhakamirror.com At least 22 percent of victims of commercial sexual exploitation (abuse of a person, or a minor, through sexual activities in exchange for money, goods, or other benefits) in Bangladesh are children, said speakers at an event yesterday. They shared the information at the launch of “Project Shurakkha”, an initiative of ... Read more

WB Reports Bangladesh Heat Costs at $1.78 Billion in 2024

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Rising temperatures in Bangladesh are fueling a surge in heat-related illnesses, leading to the loss of 250 million workdays in 2024 and economic losses estimated at $1.33–1.78 billion, representing about 0.3 to 0.4 percent of Bangladesh’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2024, according to a new World Bank report. The report ... Read more

Police clearance no longer required for passports

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus announced that police verification will no longer be necessary for obtaining a passport, thereby reducing unnecessary hassle for citizens. “Getting a passport is a basic right. We have established a rule that eliminates the need for police verification,” he stated. While speaking at the opening session ... Read more

Metro rail achieves record 4 lakh daily passengers

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Metro Rail has achieved a remarkable milestone by carrying over 400,000 passengers in a single day. The Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL), which operates the Metro Rail, announced this achievement on their official Facebook page on Friday night. For the first time, Metro Rail recorded 403,164 passengers. The Metro Rail ... Read more

Most people, about 66% think civil servants behave as if they are rulers

News Desk : dhakamirror.com More than 100,000 participants have contributed their responses to reform commission’s online survey 80% of the respondents believe that the administration is not approachable for the general public, according to a survey conducted by the Public Administration Reform Commission. Additionally, 66% of participants feel that civil servants act as if they ... Read more

Former Justice Abdur Rouf dies

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Former Chief Election Commissioner Justice Md Abdur Rouf has passed away at the age of 91. He died around 10:00 am while receiving treatment at Insaf Barakah Kidney and General Hospital in Dhaka, as stated in a press release. Justice Rouf had been battling heart disease, lung complications, kidney issues, and ... Read more

Bangladesh climbed 4 positions to rank 93rd in global passport index

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Bangladesh has climbed four notches up in the latest Henley Passport Index 2025, ranking 93rd out of 99. However, the number of visa-free destinations for Bangladeshi passport holders has dropped from 42 in 2024 to 39 this year, reflecting a decline in global travel privileges. Despite this improvement in rank — ... Read more