High Commissioner of Malaysia to Bangladesh Haznah Md Hashim on Wednesday said they want to make sure that jobs are guaranteed for all the Bangladeshis who are going to Malaysia.
"We are committed to that. We are in good cooperation with the government of Bangladesh to address any relevant issues," she told diplomatic correspondents in an interaction, describing how serious her government is about the welfare of Bangladeshi workers.
The high commissioner, however, acknowledged that there might be syndicates that are beyond the control of both the Bangladesh and Malaysian governments, reports UNB.
"You just mentioned syndicates. Of course, there are things beyond our control. This is something beyond not only the Malaysian government but also beyond the control of the Bangladesh government," she said.
The Malaysian high commissioner said they are committed to making things better in the future.
She said her government is committed to ensuring the welfare of Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia.
The high commissioner highly appreciated Bangladeshi workers' contribution to Malaysia in a big way. "We want to ensure that everything is in place."
She said things will be reviewed time to time on the basis of needs and supply and demand.
During an interaction with the members of the Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh (DCAB), High Commissioner Haznah said so far the deadline for Bangladeshi workers to reach Malaysia is May 31. "It's fixed by my government. It was announced in January this year."
The high commissioner highlighted her country’s efforts to offer world-class healthcare, education, and tourism facilities at an affordable cost.
She also talked about the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two countries. "I am confident that it would happen."
Hashim said that Bangladesh can utilise Malaysia as a hub of greater ASEAN market by signing a FTA with one of the South East Asia's most vibrant economies.
"FTA brings market access to you. You need to be very competitive in a very challenging market. FTA is a vehicle which allows special treatment," she said.
Bangladesh and Malaysia have agreed to explore the possibility of concluding a bilateral FTA in order to add further substance to the steadily increasing bilateral trade and economic relations between the two regional countries. Bangladesh describes Malaysia as an important investor country.
The envoy said it is time for Bangladesh to become more competitive and target the ASEAN market through Malaysia.
She said the current cooperation between the two countries reflects the trust and confidence that Malaysia has in the government of Bangladesh under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. She also thanked Sheikh Hasina for all cooperation extended to Malaysia.
DCAB President Nurul Islam Hasib also spoke at the session and thanked the high commission for hosting the discussion.
