A severe decline has been recorded in the export of Bangladeshi workers to Malaysia. Recent government statistics show that while more than three lakh workers secured employment in Malaysia during the final year of the previous government, that number has now plummeted to almost zero under the current interim administration led by Yunus.
According to official data, under former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh sent 351,683 workers to the Malaysian labor market in 2023. This large outflow of manpower played a crucial role in boosting the country’s remittance inflows and alleviating domestic unemployment.
However, the situation changed drastically following the transition of power. In the 11 months of the Yunus-led interim government, only 2,670 Bangladeshi workers reportedly migrated to Malaysia.
Experts say this stark contrast represents a “massive collapse” in Bangladesh’s presence in the Malaysian labor market. A nearly 99% drop in worker migration within a single year has raised serious concerns among labor-sector stakeholders.
Labor migration specialists attribute this dramatic decline to the suspension of new recruitment processes, diplomatic complications, and weaknesses in the interim government’s policy decisions.
Despite a continued demand for foreign labor in Malaysia, the sharp fall in worker outflow is expected to have negative consequences for Bangladesh’s economy and remittance earnings.
Experts warn that if this downward trend continues, unemployment could rise further, and Bangladesh risks losing one of its most vital labor markets outside the Middle East. They urge the government to undertake immediate diplomatic efforts and implement effective measures to restore access to the Malaysian labor market.
