BACK FROM KUALA LUMPUR: Any illegal immigrant is to pay MR 400 (Taka 8400.00) as compound fee to Malaysian Immigration to return home country while a Bangladeshi has to pay MR1400(Taka 29400.00).

After investigation, it was revealed that Malaysian IT company Bestinet is involved with this exploitation on Bangladeshis.

Some illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, who recently returned home, have disclosed that this additional amount of money was paid to immigration office at Putrajaya as compound.

Rafik (not real name) told banglanews that I have paid MR 400 to the officials of immigration office. But, earlier we had to pay MR 1000 for collecting compound coupon. Police supply this coupon to only Bangladeshis.

According to sources, Bestinet in connivance with Malaysian home ministry is exploiting the immigrant workers of the South Asian countries.

With the assurance of providing on line A to Z services, Bestinet got the work to bring the immigrants from Nepal and Indonesia through single tender.

But in the face of strong objections raised by Nepal and Indonesia, Malaysian foreign workers Centralized Management System (FWCS) and biometric health checking of Bestinet were stopped by the home ministry just after two weeks.

This private IT firm is owned by former foreign minister Tan Sree Azmi Khalid and former labor director Datuk Tenku Omor Tenku Bot. For these connections, this firm has established a monopolistic hegemony on the Malaysian home ministry.

Though the company has failed to victimize the Nepalese and Indonesians but it has managed to grab the job of Bangladeshi workers’ affairs. Influencing the Malaysian home ministry the IT company has grabbed this Bangladesh affairs’ job. It is alleged that the Bangladesh High Commission has shut their mouth knowing the fact. 

However one high official of the Mission told banglanews that Dhaka is aware of this matter of illegal immigrants. But the embassy had nothing to do. Malaysian home ministry sent letters to Dhaka to provide A to Z services including returning of illegal immigrants through online services.

Regarding payment of additional MR 1000 as compound fee, official told that the air-fare was supposed to be included. But now it learnt that the returnees are to bear the cost of air- fare.

An illegal immigrant worker Shaifiqul (pseudonym) told banglanews that he was in prison for six months suffering a lot. They had to face serious beating in jail. My plane fare was sent from home thrice but all the money was misappropriated by the agent, he also alleged.  

He told that despite depositing MR 1400 at Putrajaya, a person has to arrange return plane fare of his own. Moreover, the police and the agents take money on different pretexts. 

If any Bangladeshi enters the immigration office at Putrajaya he is to collect a coupon spending MR 1000 from the counter otherwise he is barred from entry.  

Bestinet is so powerful and influential at the immigration office that even the Bangladesh embassy is rather helpless. Actually the IT solution company Bestinet is playing fraud with the illegal immigrants of Bangladesh.

Bangladesh High Commissioner to Malaysia Shahidul Islam told banglanews that due to lack of information, many Bangladeshis are paying the additional amount of MR 1400 instead of MR 400.

He further told that the Malaysian government has formulated some systems for the betterment of people but some wicked people are exploiting others to meet their self interest.

BDST: 1142 HRS, JULY 29, 2015
Edited by Shahjahan/RS