Fraud in manpower sector: Visit of three Malaysians raises questions

Questions have arisen surrounding a secret visit to Dhaka by three Malaysian nationals. Insiders allege that they visited Bangladesh primarily at the invitation of a particular group in a bid to discredit the interim government and commit some fraudulent activities in manpower export. 

According to sources, three Malaysian individuals are Datuk Seri Thayagaraj, president of the Malaysia International Security Organization for Foreign Nationals; Dr. Sukumaran NK Nair, the secretary general; and Datuk Mohd Noa. 

Controversial businessman Noor Ali with the Joint Secretary General of the Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA) Fakhrul Islam, and manpower exporter Ashfaq Hossain reportedly facilitated their arrival as part of a strategy to control the Malaysian labor import market.

During the visit, they met with police officials at Paltan Police Station regarding a case filed against manpower exporters and introduced themselves as ‘representatives of the Malaysian government’.

However, multiple sources from the Bangladeshi and Malaysian embassies confirmed that they were not officially representing the Malaysian government but were instead involved in manpower business activities. 

Allegedly, their visit was aimed at deceiving local manpower exporters, and related business entities are reportedly planning to file a General Diary (GD) with the police.

On September 3, these three individuals met with the investigating officer at Paltan Police Station regarding an ongoing case, presenting themselves as representatives of the Malaysian government and as close affiliates of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. 

They also claimed identities such as human rights activists, affiliates of Malaysia's Ministry of Home Affairs (KDN), and senior officials, using these identities to mislead the investigating officer into issuing a letter to Interpol (NCB Kuala Lumpur) with a request to suspend Malaysia’s Foreign Workers Centralized Management System (FWCMS), an immigration software for handling foreign workers, as part of a punitive action against two Bangladeshi businessmen.

Sources allege this request was entirely unethical and deceptive. Two of the Malaysians are leaders in Malaysia’s manpower import sector. 

Dr. Sukumaran was expelled from the PASMA business organization in 2001 and 2008 due to allegations of defrauding Bangladeshi manpower exporters. 

For years, they have allegedly engaged in deceptive schemes targeting Bangladeshi businesses under the pretense of recruiting manpower.

Sources added that the FWCMS is a Malaysian immigration software system used to import manpower from 14 source countries, including Bangladesh. Bangladesh itself cannot request suspension of this software, and the police request for Interpol’s intervention in the matter was unnecessary, as the officer could have sought information through the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Instead, they requested a legal action against a Bangladeshi businessman, Ruhul Amin Swapan, and a Malaysian national, Amin Noor, though Amin Noor is not even an accused in the case, making the inclusion of his name a breach of international protocol.

Sources say that the letter to Interpol was issued based on misleading information provided to the investigating officer, along with a draft prepared by another controversial businessman. Paltan Police’s move to send such a letter to Interpol Kuala Lumpur is deemed unjustifiable.

When asked, Paltan Police Sub-Inspector Nazmul Islam, the investigating officer, stated that the human trafficking allegations originated in Malaysia, necessitating the request for information via Interpol.

Additionally, Deputy Commissioner of the Motijheel Division Shahriar Hossain noted, “I have heard about the letter. I was initially unaware of the details, but later learned of them. If there is any error in the letter, steps will be taken to correct it.”