High Commission advises female Bangladesh workers against travelling to Malaysia

The Bangladesh High Commission in Malaysia advised female workers in Bangladesh not to travel to the southeast Asian country.

In a notice published on Friday, the mission said many Bangladeshi women seeking employment in Malaysia have fallen victim to fraud orchestrated by organised syndicates, reports bdnews24.com.

The announcement was also posted on the mission’s verified Facebook page.

It read: "At present, there is no agreement or MoU between Bangladesh and Malaysia for recruiting female workers. The high commission has learned that an organised fraud ring is luring women with false promises of employment and illegally sending them to Malaysia on travel or other types of visas, leading to exploitation."

Highlighting the financial and psychological risks involved, the High Commission warned: "Such fraudulent activities could also contribute to a negative perception of Bangladesh in Malaysia."

According to High Commission sources, Malaysia’s Ministry of Home Affairs had set May 31, 2024, as the deadline for new and existing foreign workers to join their jobs.

However, due to limited flight availability and other challenges, around 18,000 Bangladeshis missed the deadline—creating an opportunity for fraudsters to take advantage of desperate job seekers.

Given the situation, the High Commission has urged female workers to refrain from traveling to Malaysia for employment until a formal agreement or memorandum of understanding-MoU-is signed between the two governments.