Malaysia has reopened its labor market for Bangladeshi workers, according to Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury. Speaking to journalists at Sylhet Circuit House on Tuesday, he said worker deployment could begin within one to two months under a new system. Bangladesh will now select recruiting agencies to ensure transparency in the hiring process.

The announcement comes less than two weeks after Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s official visit to Malaysia, during which he discussed labor recruitment, regularization of irregular workers, and a free trade agreement with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Malaysia had previously suspended worker recruitment from Bangladesh in March 2024 after irregularities resurfaced, following earlier closures and reopenings since 2018.

The minister also indicated that positive developments may soon follow regarding labor markets in the Middle East, Japan, and Mauritius. Authorities emphasized coordinated efforts between the government and recruiting agencies to prevent syndicates and corruption in the new recruitment framework.