Bangladeshi authorities have initiated legal action against 232 individuals over alleged links to a migrant labour syndicate recruiting workers to Malaysia, accusing them of corruption and criminal breach of trust involving over RM2.68 billion.
Among those targeted by the Bangladeshi Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) are company owners, chairpersons, managing directors, and directors, from 100 migrant worker agencies.
The ACC said the individuals concerned are alleged to have received payments several times higher than the rate capped at BDT78,990 (RM2,670) - set by the Bangladeshi government for sending workers to Malaysia.
“The accused are believed to have committed money laundering by disguising, transferring, and converting illegally obtained funds through unlawful activities.
“Their offences include criminal breach of trust, taking money exceeding the cost set by the government maliciously, and embezzling funds from workers sent to Malaysia.
“Every worker sent (to Malaysia) was forced to pay for passport fees, health check-up, and other charges that should have been regulated by contract, but were manipulated by this syndicate.
“This case involves a substantial amount of money, estimated at BDT7,984,15,07,500.
“And this case will be among the largest investigations involving corruption, breach of trust, and money laundering in the history of Bangladesh,” the agency said.
ACC added that the 232 individuals and 100 agencies mentioned also include the 108 individuals and 40 agencies acted upon last month, which earlier involved a sum totalling BDT3,438,94,25,000, according to a report yesterday by Bangladeshi media, Jamuna TV.
When contacted, Md Rafiqul Islam, the lawyer for Altab Khan, who is the complainant in this case, confirmed ACC’s decision to Malaysiakini.
Police report against syndicate
On Sept 3 last year, Altab filed a police report at the Paltan police station, Bangladesh, alleging that 100 migrant worker agencies and 103 individuals had embezzled RM8.36 billion through an organised syndicate.
Among the prominent names mentioned in the report are former senior secretary Ahmed Munirus Saleheen and former Bangladeshi MP Nizam Uddin Hazari.
Elaborating, the ACC said investigations have found that those appointed as labour recruitment agents under the agreement signed between the Malaysian and Bangladeshi governments had disregarded the stipulated selection and financial conditions agreed upon.
“And those actions are part of a criminal conspiracy to take advantage of leakages and corruption in the process, with the malicious intent to exploit workers sent abroad.
“Those accused reportedly received unlawful remuneration, apart from the legitimate payments agreed upon in the contract.
“They are also accused of illegally receiving money to avoid fulfilling legitimate contractual obligations,” the agency said.
The investigation papers, sighted by Malaysiakini, found that the individuals will be charged under Sections 120(B), 161, 162, 163, 164, 165(A), 420, 409, and 109 of the Penal Code, Sections 4(2) & 4(3) of the Anti-Money Laundering Act 2012, and Section 5(2) of the Anti-Corruption Act 1947 of Bangladesh.
‘Damaged country’s reputation’
The ACC stated that the syndicate not only negatively impacted the workers but also damaged the country’s reputation in international labour affairs.
Bangladesh resumed sending workers to Malaysia in August 2022 after being halted for nearly six years.
However, in May last year, after more than 476,000 workers were sent, the programme was halted, preventing another 17,000 licensed workers from arriving.
Putrajaya at the time only granted permission to 25 Bangladeshi agencies to send workers, which later became known as a “syndicate”.
The “syndicate” is said to be linked to four former ministers and MPs in Bangladesh.
Although the Bangladeshi government set the official cost at BDT79,000 per worker, workers claimed they were forced to pay up to BDT544,000 per person.
Of that sum, approximately BDT142,000 was collected by agents in Bangladesh and another BDT150,000 by the syndicate in Malaysia for each visa. - Mkini
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