Frustration is mounting among the over 18,000 Bangladeshis who missed a deadline to fly to Malaysia for work around eight months ago.

They secured visas and clearance from the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) after paying hefty sums of money to recruitment agencies.

However, a ticket shortage triggered by huge demand ahead of the May 31 deadline last year led to the situation surrounding the workers.

Even after having tickets, some others failed to travel to Malaysia at that time since the Malaysian government blacklisted the companies that hired them. 

The aspiring Bangladeshi migrant workers launched protests multiple times, with the latest held yesterday, as their dream of working in Malaysia and sending money to their families became more and more distant.

An uncertainty over when the breadwinners will be able to travel to Malaysia has gripped these families, many of whom are now grappling to repay loans they had taken to pay the recruiting agencies.

Md Ratan, a man from Tangail, took a loan to pay Tk 4 lakh to a recruitment agency. "I am drowning in debt. The loan instalments and interest are unmanageable. I've had to sell land just to survive," Ratan said.

Md Kawser, who paid Tk 6 lakh, expressed similar frustration. "The government's negligence has worsened our situation. Every assurance feels hollow," he lamented.

Md Khulkun, another worker who missed the deadline for entry into Malaysia, said, "I was promised I'd be sent by January. But now the interest on my loans keeps growing, and I can't even bear my family's basic expenses. We want to go to Malaysia by February."

After the debacle under its watch, the previous regime failed to make any progress in resolving the crisis in the last two months before its ouster.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's visit on October 4 last year after the political changeover finally cast a ray of hope for the distraught families of the stranded workers.

During a meeting with Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, Anwar said he would consider the entry of the 18,000 Bangladeshi workers as soon as possible if all conditions are met.

The interim government then made repeated assurances to address the plight of these workers. But as the wait got longer, the workers formed a human chain in front of the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment in Dhaka, demanding urgent action on December 29 last year.

They withdrew their protest after receiving assurances that their demand would be met.

The workers blocked the Karwan Bazar roundabout in Dhaka yesterday as frustration boiled over again. Police removed them  after an hour and a half.

Later, they marched to the ministry and blocked the road in front of it, staying until 1:00pm.

Once again, Adviser Asif Nazrul assured them they would be sent to Malaysia in phases, starting in late March or early April.

Speaking to the protesters, the adviser promised that workers with BMET cards and visas would begin travelling to Malaysia by the end of March in phases.

"Those without BMET cards but with visas will be prioritised next. Workers without visas or BMET cards were advised to reclaim their passports and funds from the recruitment agencies, with the ministry offering support through local police stations if agencies refused to comply," he told them.

The ministry's Secretary Ruhul Amin said two committees—one in Bangladesh and one in Malaysia— were formed to address the issue.

"We've held a joint meeting with Malaysia and plan another next month. If all goes well, we hope to send these workers to Malaysia by late March or early April," he said.

The crisis came after Malaysia reopened its labour market to Bangladeshi workers in 2022, following a four-year suspension due to recruitment irregularities.

Between August 2022 and April 2024, nearly 450,000 Bangladeshi workers migrated to Malaysia, making it the second-largest job market for Bangladeshis after Saudi Arabia.