For Rashid, Abdullah, Mozammel and Ershad, four Bangladeshi migrant workers who have woven their lives into Malaysia’s economic fabric, the recent upheavals back home have cast long shadows over their purpose in life.
The hopes and fears of their families are intricately linked to their ability to work overseas, the hard-earned money they send home regularly, and the evolving political landscape of their homeland.
The remittances are a lifeline for their families back home, where recent political instability has created a storm of uncertainty and affected their ability to support their loved ones.
Rashid, who has spent nearly three decades in Malaysia, reflected on the precarious situation.
he said.We haven’t been able to send remittances back to Bangladesh or communicate with our families as internet services have been disrupted (by the protests),
“We expected this (Sheikh Hasina Wazed’s) government to fall. We’re hoping that the new government will run the country properly so that we can send money to our family members.
It will help them, and it will help the country develop. In the long- term, this will make it easier for us to return.
Long-time prime minister Hasina fled Bangladesh on Aug 5 following a deadly nationwide uprising that killed some 300 people, including many students, and ended her 15-year rule.
Her departure followed weeks of intense protests – primarily over opposition to a government job quota system – which culminated in widespread calls for her removal.
Nobel Peace Prize-winning economist Muhammad Yunus has since been sworn in to lead an interim government, and has promised to restore order in the country of 170 million people.
Abdullah, who returned to Bangladesh before the unrest kicked off, hopes the new government will introduce a migrant worker recruitment system free of the notorious syndicates that have pushed many Bangladeshis working in Malaysia into debt.
The 35-year-old wants to see fair and transparent migration fees, a desire which resonates deeply with Bangladeshis looking to work in Malaysia.
said Abdullah, who used to work in the glove manufacturing sector.Everything now depends on the new government,
“I want a syndicate-free Bangladesh where expatriates can travel to different countries, including Malaysia, for work purposes at low cost.
he said.I think the government will prioritise migrant workers because Bangladesh’s economy runs on their remittances,
Bangladesh’s central bank said low-skilled migrant workers remitted nearly US$2 billion in April alone, with Malaysia, at US$132 million, the sixth-highest source of monthly inward remittances.
Bangladeshi newspaper The Business Standard reported that US$482.77 million in remittances had entered Bangladesh in the first 10 days of August, the bulk of which came from Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates and Singapore.
Touching on his dreams for a new Bangladesh, Mozammel said he hopes to see
, which he claimed the former government was responsible for, a thing of the past.exorbitant migration costs
said Mozammel, who works in the manufacturing industry.We can only wait and see how things develop. Change will take time, but I believe in Dr Yunus. He can make it happen,
Ershad, who works in the service industry, also echoed cautious optimism.
He said a Bangladeshi recruiting agency had forced him to pay six times the usual migration fee to come to Malaysia. Like Mozammel, he too claimed that these unscrupulous agencies were linked to the former ruling government.
said Ershad.I believe migration costs will return to normal. Workers will no longer need to get into debt due to high migration costs,
Overall, I believe the situation will significantly improve. Let’s see how things go. I hope for the best. We all have faith in Dr Yunus. - FMT
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