Active syndicates have emerged to take advantage of this opportunity. Using brokers, illegal worker sending and human trafficking crimes are being committed. In many cases, these crimes happen through recruiting agencies. The trafficked workers face exploitation, torture, even abduction and murder abroad. This is creating problems for Bangladesh's labor export sector.
To prevent human trafficking and illegal immigration, countries that import labor from Bangladesh often announce the suspension of recruitment. According to BMET data, in the last 12 years, labor markets in Oman, Bahrain, Iraq, Libya, Sudan, Malaysia, Egypt, Romania, Brunei, and the Maldives have closed to Bangladeshi workers. Although the UAE's labor market has not been officially closed, it stopped issuing visas last July. Similarly, the Maldives also stopped issuing visas to Bangladeshi workers at the same time. Malaysia, a large labor market in Southeast Asia, regularly blocks visa acceptance for Bangladeshi workers. Saudi Arabia, the largest labor market, has a history of stopping Umrah visas for Bangladeshi workers due to human trafficking allegations. Bahrain also announced a visa ban in 2017. Due to repeated allegations of illegal immigration and human trafficking, people with valid visas are being harassed in these countries. In some cases, there are complaints of mistreatment and harassment at airports.
Reports from international media and different organizations have highlighted cases of human trafficking, unlawful sea crossings, and migrant extortion. This has caused uncertainty in the European market too. Each year, individuals from Bangladesh seek asylum in Europe, North America, and various other Western nations. As per available data, the count of Bangladeshis applying for asylum in Europe in 2023 has exceeded all earlier records.
During this time, 40,332 individuals sought asylum in EU nations. Out of those, merely 2,000 applications received approval. Fifty-eight percent of those applying requested asylum in Italy. Twenty-five percent applied for France. Among these, Bangladesh has emerged as the leading country of origin for refugees arriving in Italy. Last year, Italy declared that it would cease granting political asylum to all Bangladeshis. In October, the Italian government halted the validity of all work permits for citizens from various countries, including Bangladesh, due to a high volume of counterfeit documents. This suspension will continue until adequate verification is completed. Concerns regarding labor visas in Serbia also exist.
Immigration specialists argue that the immigration field needs distinct, concentrated attention from government decision-makers. This is because remittances have emerged as one of the largest contributors to the nation's economy. A committee has been established to implement changes across different sectors. Nonetheless, no efficient actions have been implemented in this area. The government ought to establish a commission, if needed, and launch significant reforms for sustainable growth and a steady job market.
To address this matter, efforts were made to reach Dr. Asif Nazrul, advisor to the Ministry of Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment, but no response was obtained. A message was delivered to him, yet no reply was received.
In recent years, the government has not taken strong initiatives to restore its image in the global immigration sector. Instead, during the Awami League's rule, leaders and members of the ruling party, including MPs and ministers, have been accused of being involved in human trafficking. Some have even been arrested abroad and served jail time.
After the current interim government came to power through the mass uprising, there were expectations that strong measures would be taken to restore the damaged image in the international community. However, no significant actions or measures have been taken against these syndicates so far.
In the nearly six months of the interim government's tenure, there has been no visible progress or reform in restoring discipline to the immigration sector, one of the key drivers of Bangladesh's economy. Every year, many Bangladeshis set off towards Europe, hoping to immigrate. Many fall prey to brokers and travel illegally in small boats, crossing the turbulent Mediterranean Sea from North Africa to Europe.
Many lose their lives while attempting this perilous journey. Libyan trafficking syndicates kidnap some before they even board the boat and are tortured. Many of them also die. Currently, Bangladesh is at the top of the list of source countries for illegal immigrants heading to Europe via sea.
The Middle East is Bangladesh's biggest job market. Over 80 percent of Bangladeshi workers travel to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Oman, and Bahrain. Under the last Awami League government, many recruitment agencies were issued licenses. This group comprised ministers, MPs, political figures, and even heads of the student faction.
It is claimed that a significant number of these agencies participated in human trafficking, organized crime, and generating substantial profits while pretending to send workers to the job market. Their primary objective was consistently to generate profit. In numerous instances, recruiting agencies have been discovered to be involved in human trafficking.
Malaysia is one of the largest markets for Bangladeshi labor exports. Despite paying much higher fees, nearly 18,000 workers could not enter the country last year due to syndicates. As no resolution had been achieved up to this point, they held a demonstration by obstructing the Karwan Bazar region in the capital last Wednesday (January 22). They subsequently chose to halt their protest after obtaining reassurance from Dr. Asif Nazrul, the advisor to the Ministry of Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment.
There are allegations that four influential former MPs and ministers from the past Awami League government were involved with the syndicates operating in Malaysia's labor market. They are Nizam Uddin Hazari, Lieutenant General (Ret.) Masud Uddin Chowdhury, Benjir Ahmed, and former Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is investigating them for allegedly embezzling BDT 240 billion over a year and a half by creating a syndicate in labor export. Along with them, Alauddin Ahmed Chowdhury (Nasim), former MP from Feni, is also accused of using a recruiting agency license to get involved in the syndicate and other scandals in Malaysia's labor market.
ACC is also investigating AHM Mustafa Kamal's wife, Kashmiri Kamal, and his daughter, Nafisa Kamal, for irregularities in Malaysia's labor market. Kashmiri Kamal held a license for Orbitals Enterprises, and Nafisa Kamal held a license for Orbitals International.
Through Kashmiri Kamal's Orbitals Enterprises, 8,000 workers were sent abroad. Many of these workers have complained that they could not find work and were forced to live miserable lives with their passports taken away. Currently, a case filed by these workers for fraud is ongoing in a Malaysian court.
During the Awami League government, several leaders and activists from the student and youth wings directly got involved in the labor market business to create a large syndicate and control the market. It has been found that, in the last four years of the Awami League government (from 2020 to 2024), the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) approved 1,031 recruiting licenses. In contrast, in the previous 30 years, only 991 licenses were approved.
It is alleged that many of these recruiting agencies used political and bureaucratic influence to traffic workers abroad under the guise of sending them for employment. These workers, after entering the labor market, not only lost large sums of money but also faced physical abuse and even death after reaching their destinations.
According to a report by the U.S. Department of State, inconsistencies in the government's human trafficking statistics are a major obstacle to preventing human trafficking in Bangladesh. Due to the government's failure to meet basic standards in its anti-trafficking activities, Bangladesh's position remains at Tier 2 on the U.S. State Department's Global Trafficking Index.
Immigration from Bangladesh started in the 1970s. According to BMET data, from 1976 to 2023, at least 16 million people have entered the labor market. In 2024, more than 900,000 workers have gone abroad. In total, over five decades, at least 17 million people have entered the labor market. Most have gone as workers to the Middle East and Gulf countries, such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Lebanon, Jordan, and Libya. Additionally, workers have gone to Malaysia, Singapore, the U.S., Germany, Italy, the UK, and other countries.
Over the past five decades, due to syndicate trade, labor market fraud, and human trafficking, various countries have closed their visa systems for workers from Bangladesh. In 2021, a syndicate opened Malaysia's labor market through the second Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Even though workers were sent to Malaysia through this syndicate, the labor market in Malaysia was closed in May 2024.
The syndicate was created jointly by Malaysian citizen Datuk Amin, owner of Bestinet and FWCMS, and Bangladeshi associate Ruhul Amin. Through this syndicate, they extorted BDT 2 billion from immigrant workers by imposing high immigration costs. The Bangladesh government has started legal proceedings against four former MPs of Bangladesh for their involvement in this syndicate. Additionally, the government of Malaysia has been contacted to bring back two members of the syndicate.
One major irregularity in Malaysia's labor market syndicate was the high cost of sending workers to the country. According to a summary from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), the government-set maximum cost to send a worker to Malaysia was BDT 78,990. However, on average, a Bangladeshi worker spends BDT 544,000 to go to Malaysia. In one and a half years, around 450,000 workers were sent, resulting in a BDT 240 billion trade in this sector. The syndicate took an extra BDT 200 billion, above the government-set fees. Of this, the syndicate took over BDT 65 billion in fees.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) ranks as Bangladesh's second-biggest employment market in the Middle East. A significant number of workers have arrived in the nation and become undocumented. Between July and December of last year, the UAE declared relief for undocumented immigrant workers. Over 50,000 Bangladeshis have benefited from this amnesty.
In recent times, many pathways for human trafficking have been created to access Europe and the Americas unlawfully. In particular, Cox's Bazar, Mymensingh, and Jashore have emerged as hubs for human trafficking, based on a report from the Ministry of Home Affairs published last year. The prior administration recognized the issues linked to human trafficking and developed a plan lasting two years. The National Plan of Action for the Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking (Revised 2023-25) by the Ministry of Home Affairs' public security division identifies Cox's Bazar, Mymensingh, and Jashore as key areas for human trafficking.
The private research group Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU) has long been engaged with numerous matters and prospects associated with immigration. Tasneem Siddique, the chairperson, informed Bonik Barta, "The government needs to improve its initiatives related to sustainable immigration. In particular, labor trafficking has emerged as a significant problem in Bangladesh. The government must take decisive steps regarding this matter. The problem of trafficking must be addressed in multilateral discussions."
RMMRU recently published a report on the pace, nature, achievements, and challenges of labor immigration from Bangladesh. The report presents various aspects of Bangladesh's labor market and offers some recommendations for establishing good governance in the immigration process. It highlights civil society's views on the formation of a government commission for immigration. It also suggests addressing irregularities and corruption, reducing immigration costs, and allocating funds for immigrants in the national budget.
A large part of human traffickers have been active in the name of immigration in recent years. These syndicates charge BDT 2-2.5 million per person and promise to send people illegally to America and Europe using various routes across Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. These syndicates are so active that they recruit agents in different countries and smuggle people from Bangladesh through illegal routes. They lure immigration hopefuls with "Tarzan visas" to bring them to Europe.
The syndicates often start by taking immigrants to Libya through transit points like Dubai or Doha with a free visa. Some also travel through Qatar to Turkey with the help of brokers. Some syndicates have been using different routes to reach Libya from Bangladesh. According to law enforcement investigations, human traffickers take migrants through Kolkata, Mumbai, Dubai, Egypt, and Benghazi to reach Tripoli. In some recent cases, immigrants have been taken through the deserts of South Sudan to reach Libya. From there, immigrants are packed into risky boats and sent across the Mediterranean towards Europe.
A senior official of the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Bonik Barta, "The syndicate of immigration and recruiting agencies has been established long ago. This syndicate is still active in various ways. There are two aspects of immigration from Bangladesh: legal and illegal. The Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare oversees any irregularities regarding those immigrating with legal documents. However, those immigrating illegally fall under the Ministry of Home Affairs. For sustainable immigration, a single ministry working alone will not bring order and transparency to this sector. Various ministries must work together. The government has taken several steps, but this sector needs to be restructured to speed up the labor market."
Asif Munir, an immigration and refugee expert, told Bonik Barta, "The proper implementation of human trafficking laws is not happening in the country. There is also a lack of awareness among law enforcement agencies and others. Law enforcement needs to be increased. Cases rarely reach the final stage. Human trafficking is an international syndicate. Bangladesh cannot tackle it alone. Border forces, intelligence, and Interpol must coordinate in the countries where the routes are known. More efforts are needed through embassies and researchers to identify the routes. If a few exemplary actions are taken, others will also become aware. A zero-tolerance stance is required. Intelligence agencies can identify those involved in human trafficking if they want. Many of them have online platforms, signboards, or other establishments in Dhaka. Cybersecurity and intelligence agencies can track them down."