Bangladeshi migrant rights groups have demanded immediate action to ensure justice, fair compensation and payment of overdue wages for Bangladeshi workers allegedly subjected to abuse by two Malaysian companies — Mediceram and Kawaguchi.
The call came during a human chain organised on Monday in front of the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment by the Migrant Welfare Network Malaysia and a Bangladesh-based expatriate rights platform.
Speakers at the programme compared the exploitation faced by workers at the two firms to modern-day slavery, blaming both the Bangladesh High Commission in Malaysia and the Expatriates’ Welfare Ministry for failing to protect the victims.
Workers who had been employed at Mediceram alleged that they were subjected to delayed payments, threats, physical abuse, and inhumane living conditions for years. The company allegedly confiscated their passports, and many workers became undocumented as their work permits were not renewed.
In early November, the company reportedly forcibly deported 15 workers who had demanded renewal of their permits and payment of back wages.
Meanwhile, workers from Kawaguchi said that they had been facing irregular salary payments since 2022 and went seven months without pay as of September 2024.
Although some compensation was given, most have yet to receive their full dues. The company’s owner reportedly shut down operations without paying 30 lakh ringgit in arrears owed to 251 workers.
The protesting workers presented seven demands, including immediate compensation for those forcibly deported from Mediceram, a halt to all forced repatriations, and assistance in transferring affected workers to responsible employers through proper legal channels.
They also called for a ban on hiring Bangladeshi workers by Mediceram and its associated companies, and demanded full payment of overdue wages from Kawaguchi.
Besides, the protesters urged reforms in the operations of the Bangladesh High Commission in Kuala Lumpur to make it more migrant-friendly and called for a comprehensive overhaul of the country’s recruitment and migration system, emphasising the protection of workers’ rights over remittance inflow.