Unpaid and unprotected — Bangladeshi workers demand accountability from Malaysia

DHAKA, BANGLADESH: About 100 Bangladeshi migrant workers gathered outside the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment on Monday, demanding unpaid wages, fair compensation and an end to what they described as systemic abuse by Malaysian employers.

The protest was organised by the Migrant Welfare Network, a group active in both Bangladesh and Malaysia, and shone a spotlight on the mounting concerns over how Bangladeshi labourers are treated in Malaysia, one of Southeast Asia’s wealthiest nations. The demonstrators called for compensation for 431 workers reportedly exploited by two Malaysian companies — Mediceram, a glove manufacturer supplying Australian firm Ansell, and Kawaguchi Manufacturing, a plastic components supplier to Japanese companies, including Sony.

Many of these workers are stuck in labour-intensive jobs in manufacturing, plantations and construction because local workers often avoid these roles due to low pay and harsh conditions. The group urged authorities in both countries, as well as international buyers, to step in and ensure workers receive their owed wages and justice for alleged abuses.

The complaints come amid a wave of grievances against these companies. Kawaguchi employees in Port Klang, Malaysia, had previously demanded hundreds of thousands of dollars in back wages after the factory shut down five months ago. Workers said salaries had been withheld for up to eight months, with some initially receiving only partial monthly payments of 500 to 1,000 Malaysian ringgit (S$142 to S$283) just to cover basic food expenses.

“In the beginning, they used to paid salaries in parts,” said Omar Faruk, a former Kawaguchi employee who joined the company in 2022. “After withholding the salary, the company started considering shutting down. Later, we filed a complaint at the Bangladesh High Commission in Malaysia.”

Mediceram workers faced similar difficulties. Harun Or Rasid Liton said the company failed to follow a Malaysian Labour Court order that mandated monthly payments of 1,000 ringgit. “The company paid only the first installment and then stopped paying,” he said. “We had no choice but to return to Bangladesh. Now we are facing severe hardship in maintaining our families.”

Labour rights groups have long warned about the treatment of Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia, pointing to a network of recruitment agencies and middlemen who often exploit migrant labour. Disputes over unpaid wages and poor working conditions have become a sensitive diplomatic issue between Bangladesh and Malaysia.

The Migrant Welfare Network said complaints have been filed against Ansell and Kawaguchi with Malaysian authorities. The group is calling for swift action to ensure compensation for affected workers and stronger protections for future migrant labourers.