Hundreds of migrant workers who failed to travel to Malaysia staged fresh protests and a road blockade in Dhaka’s Kawran Bazar on Sunday, disrupting traffic and causing suffering for commuters.
The workers gathered near the SAARC Fountain area of Kawran Bazar in the morning, demanding that the government facilitate their promised migration to Malaysia. Many said they had paid between Tk 5–7 lakh to recruitment agents but were still unable to leave the country by the agreed deadline of May 2024.
“We paid huge sums and even took training courses costing Tk 20,000–25,000 each, but the government kept delaying,” said Sajib, one of the protesters. “We borrowed money to pay these fees and are now struggling with our families. We must be sent to Malaysia by any means, or we won’t survive under this debt.”
Leading the demonstration, Main Uddin Babu said the workers had been left destitute despite government assurances. “We will not leave the streets until our demands are met,” he declared.
Tejgaon Police Sub-Inspector Mahmudul Hanan, who was on duty in the area, said the protesters were currently occupying part of the roadside while demonstrating.
