The experts, appointed by the UN Human Rights Council, said they were “deeply troubled” by what they termed as the fraudulent recruitment and systematic exploitation of these workers, which remain widespread in the country.
“These practices continue to cause significant human rights harm to the affected workers and their families,” they said in a statement today.
The experts said that according to information received, thousands have been recruited through Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services Ltd, reportedly paying fees exceeding official limits by more than five times.
They also said the workers face confiscated passports, false job promises, discrepancies between contracts and actual employment packages, disclosure of personal data without consent, and limited access to government support.
“Some migrants have reportedly been asked to make additional payments, while others have been reassigned to jobs without their consent.
“We have also been informed that a small number of recruitment agencies operate as a closed syndicate sustained by corruption, lack of transparency, and systemic exploitation,” they said.
They said some workers were also reportedly pressured to sign false declarations claiming that they had only paid official fees before departure.
The experts called on Bangladesh to tighten recruitment agency oversight and ban worker fees, while Malaysia should strengthen protection against exploitation and arbitrary detention.
They said both governments should investigate abuses, provide remedies, and dismantle exploitative recruitment networks.
They also urged the Bangladeshi government to provide pre-departure training for workers on their rights, and establish effective reporting channels to secure remedies to migrants.
“We urge both governments to intensify their efforts to ensure that migrant workers are not criminalised or re-victimised, and that fraudulent recruitment agencies and other responsible actors are held accountable,” they said.
Bangladeshi workers form the largest group of foreign labour in Malaysia, holding more than 800,000 active permits as of June, representing 37% of the total foreign workforce.
Despite the large presence, some workers face issues like exploitation, and debt from recruitment fees, leading to protests.