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recruiting agent, filed a case on September 3, accusing 103 individuals, including former Expatriates’ Welfare Minister Imran Ahmad and former senior secretary of the ministry Ahmed Munirus Saleheen, of involvement in embezzling Tk 4,200 crore and human trafficking schemes.
The National Central Bureau (NCB) of Interpol in Bangladesh wrote a letter to the NCB in Malaysia on October 24, asking Malaysian authorities to arrest and extradite Aminul Islam and Ruhul Amin Swapan as part of an investigation into the allegations.
It also requested to temporarily halt the operation of the Foreign Workers Centralized Management System (FWCMS), a software provided to the Malaysian home ministry by Bestinet, founded by Aminul Islam.
Prof CR Abrar said, “The interim government is in charge with a mandate to reform the state institutions and end all discriminatory policies. Bangladeshi migrants are one of the most neglected populations, and the whole recruitment system needs urgent reforms.”
“Those responsible for victimising millions of our people must be brought to book,” he said.
Shariful Hasan, associate director of BRAC and head of its migration programme, said a mere case and arresting some people and writing a letter to Malaysia will do nothing.
The Bangladesh government, in collaboration with Malaysia, must take strong steps to investigate how so many Bangladeshi people were swindled and exploited in the name of jobs, he added.
“We want an end to such malpractices and to ensure the dignity of our people. The politicians, businessmen, or any other entities involved in this process -- both in Bangladesh and Malaysia -- should be investigated before we start any fresh recruitment in Malaysia,” Shariful Hasan said.
“The current system is neither good for our economy nor for our people,” he added.
Meanwhile, Malaysia Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution yesterday said the two can only be extradited if Dhaka is pressing charges against them.
“Dhaka should explain whether Aminul and Ruhul were merely needed for questioning as part of an investigation or if they were to be charged in court,” he told journalists on the sidelines of an event yesterday, reports Free Malaysia Today, a Malaysian newspaper.
BNP slams
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High Commissioner to Bangladesh Derek Loh, party standing committee member Khasru said Sheikh Hasina and her party are trying to make themselves relevant in politics under different guises after they were driven out of the country by people.
“Sometimes you [AL] raise the Hindu-Muslim issue, sometimes you highlight alleged atrocities against Hindus, and now you are resorting to using Trump’s image,” he said.
He accused AL of trying to undermine Dhaka’s relations with Washington.
Speaking at another discussion, BNP standing committee member Maj (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed alleged that Hasina is now attempting to use Trump’s photos as her party’s shield from abroad.