Dhaka Tribune reported that the syndicate, involving ex-finance minister Mustafa Kamal, retired general Masud Uddin Chowdhury, former MPs Nizam Uddin Hazari and Benazir Ahmed, had sent around 450,000 workers abroad within one and a half years.
However, many of these workers were unable to find jobs and returned empty-handed.
Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission formed a three-member team to investigate the illegal assets and operations of the four ex-MPs.
The report also cited sources as saying that the syndicate operated with the support of senior officials from both the Bangladeshi and Malaysian governments.
It also said that workers were charged far above the government’s set cost of 79,000 Bangladeshi taka (about RM2,940), with the average worker paying 544,000 Bangladeshi taka (about RM20,280) to secure a job in Malaysia.
The report said the syndicate allegedly amassed 24,000 crore Bangladeshi taka by overcharging workers, while the Bangladeshi expatriates’ welfare and overseas employment ministry took no action, instead facilitating the syndicate’s activities.
Malaysia fixed the number of agencies from Bangladesh for recruitment of workers to 25 in 2022 when the labour market reopened after the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2023, it was announced that this number would be increased to 100.
According to Dhaka Tribune, the selected agencies were reportedly linked to Kamal, his family, other former MPs as well as Awami League leaders.
It also said that Hazari’s company, Snigdha Overseas Ltd, reportedly sent only 100 workers abroad in the first three and a half years after obtaining its licence. However, the company sent 8,000 workers to Malaysia in just one and a half years after the labour market reopened.
The report added that a firm managed by Chowdhury, Five M International, allegedly sent 8,592 workers after the labour market reopened, a significant increase from the 2,500 workers it sent to the Middle East before that.
Ahmed International, owned by Ahmed, allegedly sent 7,849 workers to Malaysia, up from just 238 workers, before the labour market reopened.
The report claimed that former Baira secretary-general Ruhul Amin Swapan played a key role in the syndicate, reportedly selecting 69 of the 100 agencies involved.
It said his agency, Catharsis International, sent 7,102 workers to Malaysia. The report named other agencies as BM Travels Ltd and Anannya Apurba, both linked to pro-Awami League figures.