Alleged malpractice by "a 25-agency syndicate" is hurting Bangladesh's prospects in the Malaysian migrant market, according to some recruiting agencies and former leaders of the Bangladesh Association of International Recruitment Agencies (BAIRA).

They alleged that former secretary-general BAIRA Ruhul Amin Swapan, also the proprietor of Catharsis International, is the main leader of the syndicate.

At a press conference held on Wednesday under the banner of BAIRA Anti-Syndicate Grand Alliance (BASGA) at the Jatiya Press Club, the leaders demanded that the licences of all the recruiting agencies named in the syndicate, including Swapan be revoked.

Ali Haider Chowdhury, the organiser of the grand alliance and former secretary-general of BAIRA, read out a written statement while former BAIRA president Abul Bashar, former secretary general Shamim Ahmed Chowdhury Noman replied to various questions from the media.

Former BAIRA vice presidents Shahadat Hossain and Abul Barkat, former finance secretary Fakhrul Islam, Recruiting Agency Unity Council President M Tipu Sultan and Secretary General Arifur Rahman were also present at the programme.

The press conference was organised to brief the media about the latest development of reopening the market without any syndication and to demand that Bangladeshi migrants are to Malaysia like the way 13 other labour-exporting countries are doing.

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They also demanded the alleged syndicate leaders be taken to task.

Former leaders of BAIRA demanded that Bangladesh should be allowed to send workers to Malaysia in the same process as the other 13 source countries.

They sought the intervention of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the Malaysian government and all concerned to resolve the standoff.  

Abul Bashar said the migration cost of workers increased several times due to 10 syndicates in the past. "If it is syndicated again, the cost will increase more. In addition, those involved in the syndicate have laundered money in various countries, including Canada in the past,” he alleged.

"The Malaysian market is not opening because of their misdeeds,” he said demanding that the government cancels the licenses of those whose names appear in this syndicate.

The former BAIRA president also said due to the syndicate, the migration cost of workers will increase manifold. "They will smuggle money abroad,” he said.

Ali Haider said some Malaysians are trying to make Bangladesh a "money-making machine" with the help of a local clique. "Syndication will increase irregularities, corruption and immigration costs as before. Hundreds of manpower traders will be deprived. There will be anarchy in the labour market."

He said Malaysia is hiring workers from 13 more source countries. In that case, it would be disgraceful for Bangladesh as an independent country to take workers from Bangladesh only through the syndicate.

Shamim Ahmed said the government does not want this syndication. "The traders also do not want that now and did not want it earlier. All valid licences must have the opportunity to send workers to the country."