Dhaka, Aug 10 (V7N) — Bangladesh’s manpower export to Malaysia is facing uncertainty due to unresolved human trafficking and money laundering cases against several recruiting agencies, which the Malaysian government claims are “baseless and politically motivated.”

According to sources, Kuala Lumpur has formally requested Dhaka on at least two occasions — April 23 and April 26 — to withdraw the cases. Malaysian officials argue that the allegations could negatively affect the country’s Trafficking in Persons (TIP) ranking, potentially inviting US sanctions and jeopardising loans from international financial institutions such as the IMF and World Bank.

The TIP ranking is reviewed annually by the United States, with lower rankings often linked to restrictions on foreign assistance and trade privileges. Malaysia fears that maintaining such cases could damage its international standing and delay the reopening of its labour market to Bangladeshi workers.

Bangladesh has already closed one trafficking case, but money laundering investigations are still ongoing. Between 2022 and 2024, more than 480,000 Bangladeshi workers migrated to Malaysia through legal channels without complaints of trafficking from the workers themselves. Industry insiders claim the allegations stem largely from commercial rivalries among manpower recruitment agencies rather than actual trafficking incidents.

The issue has gained urgency ahead of Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus’s scheduled visit to Malaysia on August 11. Diplomatic sources believe the visit may be the final opportunity to resolve the disputes and restore smooth manpower exports between the two nations.

Malaysia remains one of the top destinations for Bangladeshi migrant workers, contributing significantly to Bangladesh’s annual remittance earnings. Any prolonged suspension of labour recruitment could have a substantial economic impact on both countries.

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