UN Experts Warn of Widespread Exploitation of Bangladeshi Migrant Workers

The experts stressed that both governments must investigate reports of fraud, coercion, and abuse promptly and independently.

A group of United Nations human rights experts has sounded the alarm over what they describe as widespread, systemic, and deeply entrenched exploitation of Bangladeshi migrant workers in Malaysia. In a strongly worded statement, the experts expressed renewed concern about deceptive recruitment practices, forced labour indicators, and escalating debt bondage affecting thousands of vulnerable workers seeking overseas employment.

Deepening Crisis Driven by Fraudulent Recruitment

According to information received by the experts, large numbers of Bangladeshi workers have been lured into migrating under false pretences, often through recruitment agencies operating under the Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services (BOES) mechanism. Many workers remain stranded in Bangladesh or face severe exploitation risks after arrival in Malaysia.

Recruitment fees—already officially high—are reportedly inflated by more than five times the legal limit, plunging workers and their families into life-altering debt before they even depart. Some are pressured to make further payments at later stages, intensifying their financial vulnerability.

The UN experts highlighted disturbing allegations, including:

• Confiscation of passports by employers

• False or misleading job offers, including discrepancies between contracts and promised employment

• Public release of workers’ passport numbers and personal data without consent

• Lack of access to assistance from government agencies tasked with supporting migrant workers

• Forced signing of false declarations stating that workers paid only official recruitment fees

These practices, they warned, amount to a “deepening cycle of debt bondage,” leaving workers trapped and unable to leave abusive employment situations.

Closed Syndicates and Corruption Fueling Exploitation

The experts also expressed concern that a “closed syndicate” of a few recruitment agencies exerts excessive control over the labour migration system, operating with impunity and benefiting from corruption, weak oversight, and lack of transparency. This small network allegedly profits from the mass movement of Bangladeshi workers to Malaysia—while workers themselves bear the financial and human cost.

Thousands of migrants remain unable to travel due to administrative delays or contract issues, despite having paid exorbitant fees. Many who have reached Malaysia face exploitative working conditions, sudden job reassignments, or dismissal and deportation threats.

Obligations of Both Governments Under International Law

The UN experts reiterated that both Bangladesh and Malaysia have binding obligations under international human rights and labour conventions to ensure that migration occurs in a transparent, accountable, and rights-based manner.

They urged:

For Bangladesh

• Stronger oversight of recruitment agencies

• Creation of a centralized job portal to enhance transparency

• A ban on workers paying recruitment fees

• Pre-departure training to help migrants understand their rights

• Accessible and effective reporting channels for complaints and redress

For Malaysia

• Stronger safeguards against exploitation and forced labour

• Clear protections against arbitrary arrest, detention, and deportation

• Ending involuntary repatriations and reprisals against workers

• Broader labour inspections in high-risk sectors

• “Firewalls” between immigration enforcement and labour rights services

Call for Independent Investigations and Remedies

The experts stressed that both governments must investigate reports of fraud, coercion, and abuse promptly and independently. They called for effective remedies, including:

• Compensation

• Debt relief

• Restitution

• Accountability for exploitative recruitment networks and complicit employers

The call reflects mounting global concern that migrant workers—who fuel key sectors such as construction, manufacturing, plantations, and services in Malaysia—are being systematically exploited.

Strengthening Collaboration With Civil Society and UN Agencies

The experts emphasized the need for robust oversight involving civil society organizations, trade unions, national human rights institutions, and UN bodies. They encouraged cross-border cooperation to dismantle abusive recruitment chains and build a migration system that protects workers rather than exploiting them.

“We urge both Governments to intensify their efforts to ensure that migrant workers are not criminalised or re-victimised,” the experts said. “Fraudulent recruitment agencies and other responsible actors must be held accountable.”

Commitment to Continued Dialogue

The UN experts concluded by reaffirming their willingness to maintain constructive engagement with both Bangladesh and Malaysia. They stressed that protecting migrant workers’ rights is not only a legal obligation but also essential for sustainable labour mobility and the dignity of workers whose earnings support families and communities across borders.