BAIRA stands against syndication
03 February 2023
Kamruzzaman Bablu :
The leaders of Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA), an apex body of the country's recruiting agents, have agreed to open Bangladesh's all migrants markets for all agencies without any syndication.
After getting such assurance from all members in a view-exchange meeting held on Thursday at a hotel in Dhaka, BAIRA President Abul Bashar urged the government for amending the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between Bangladesh and Malaysia over hiring Bangladeshi migrants to the country under its foreign migrants hiring programme.
He also sought Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's interference, so that the issue of opening the Malaysian migrants market for all agencies can be discussed in the meetings with Malaysian Home Minister who will visit Bangladesh from tomorrow (Saturday).
Bashar said, "We were thinking that more than 500 agencies will send migrants in Malaysia. Considering the matter, the Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry had sent a list on 1,520 valid agencies to the country.
However, they have selected only 25 agencies for hiring migrants. It's their consideration as per the MoU signed between the two countries."
"We have protested the decision of syndication. After the last election of BAIRA, we have communicated with Malaysian authority. They have agreed to extend it at 75 and later it was extended to 100. Now, 100 agencies are working to send migrants there. But, we want to keep the market open for all agencies. We have sent letters to the Prime Ministers and ministers concern of the two countries requesting them to take necessary measures in this regards," he said, adding, "We will try to convince the Malaysian Home Minister during his visit to Dhaka by meeting him at any cost."
He said, "If we can keep the market open for all agencies, all agencies will be able work. It would help the agencies to send at least 1,000 migrants to abroad from all districts without any charge as per the pledge of the Prime Minister."
In his speech Cathersis International's owner Ruhul Amin Swapan, also a former secretary general of BAIRA, said, "It's our desire that all agencies will be able to send migrants there. But, we have nothing to do. Only the Malaysian government can take decision in this regards. The government will have to take steps to open the market for all agencies."
"We must have to work together to pressurise the government, so that necessary steps can be taken. If the market can be kept open for all, the Cathersis International would be benefited, because we will be able to send migrants and do business smoothly. So, I want that they keep the market open for all."
Raising finger towards the members of 25-syndicate and newly included 75 members, the speakers demanded their resignation from the executive committee of BAIRA or the syndicate.
They said that after the September 3 elections of BAIRA, it was seen that some new members were included in the syndicate. Some of them are members of the BAIRA. Depriving the general members, they are trying to pocketing money. They should leave the BAIRA leadership or syndicate.
They also demanded keeping the Bangladeshi migrants open for all including Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon and Jordan.
Among others, BAIRA Secretary General Shamim Ahmed Chowdhury Noman, Senior Vice- President Reaz Ul Islam, Vice-President Abul Barakat Bhuiyan, former Secretary General Ali Haider Chowdhury, Joint Secretary General Fakhrul Islam and Akbor Hossain Monju, and agency owners Anwar Hossain, Majibar Rahman, Abdul Matin, Ismail Hossain, Mohammad Forkan also spoke the programme.
