Staff Correspondent:

Punitive action will be taken against the recruiting agencies responsible for suffering to the Malaysia-bound workers, State Minister for Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Shofiqur Rahman Chowdhury warned on Saturday.

“We will form an investigation team and will take legal action against the recruiting agencies to be found guilty,” he said while talking to media this noon.

The recruiting agencies were informed on 15 April to provide a list of those who will go to Malaysia, but they could not provide any list yet, said the minister.

The minister will also take action if the aspirant workers who have been victims of harassment submit written allegations against their respective agencies, said the junior minister.

A letter was sent to the Malaysian authorities requesting an extension of the arrival date for Bangladeshi workers, but no response has been received yet, he said.

But, efforts are ongoing through the Bangladesh Embassy in Malaysia in this regard, Rahman said.

An organised syndicate of recruiting agencies has collected up to Tk 6 lakhs from each aspirant on average but failed to arrange flights for them on time due to mismanagement.

Thousands of aspirant workers were facing uncertainty as they tried to reach Malaysia before the 31 May deadline set by authorities in the destination country due to the mismanagement of the syndicate.

Many of them were unable to get tickets due to the delays caused by their recruiting agencies.