Malaysia is considering not to extend deadline for Bangladeshi workers: Envoy

The Malaysian government will not reconsider the deadline extension for Bangladeshi workers' entry into the country, said Malaysian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Haznah Md Hashim.

She said: "There is no good news for Bangladeshis workers. We [Malaysia] stand by the deadline because we have 15 source countries and we want to ensure uniformity in the application of the deadline."

She said this while speaking to reporters at the Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment office after a meeting with Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Shofiqur Rahman Choudhury on Wednesday.

"This is not particular to Bangladesh but applicable to all 15 source countries," she added.

Asked about the meeting, she said, "He requested us to reconsider the deadline, and I will convey the message to Kuala Lumpur."

Regarding allegations from Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA) that the Malaysian government issued e-visas on June 2 even after the deadline, the high commissioner said, "We cannot entertain any allegations without proof."

She said that during the meeting, they discussed the loopholes in the recruitment process and reassessed the need for improvements for workers' welfare.

Earlier on Tuesday, Malaysian Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said it will not extend the entry period for Bangladeshi workers who missed the 31 May deadline to enter the country to work despite having approved work visas.

Shofiqur Rahman Choudhury told journalists that there is no point in blaming the governments of both Bangladesh and Malaysia for failure to send thousands of Bangladeshi workers to Malaysia.

He said legal action will be taken against those responsible after an investigation.