A recent study shows that 28% of Bangladeshi migrant workers have fallen victim to forced labour, a form of modern-day slavery in the electronics industry in Malaysia.
“Many workers said they were being threatened with further exploitation and abuse if they refused or failed to excel at their current arrangement,” the study said, adding that some of the common threats were to be sent to a different factory or region, or to be assigned difficult or dangerous tasks as punishment.
Verite, an international NGO, carried out the study titled “Forced Labour in the Production of Electronic Goods in Malaysia”, and launched the report conducted with financial assistance from US Department of Labour on Wednesday.
A total of 36 Bangladeshi migrants in electronic industry were interviewed. Ten of the respondents said they were forced to work. Two Indian migrants who were interviewed also said they were trapped in forced labour.
Further, 67% of Nepalese migrants, 40% of Vietnam and 28% of Myanmar were also victims of forced labour, the study showed.
“My passport is held by the outsourcing company. I possess a photocopy only. It is scary to walk around,” said a male Bangladeshi worker in Johor of Malaysia. Every month, I pay off my debts, leaving me with no savings at the end of month,” another Bangladeshi in Klang Valley said.
A worker in Johor said, “My visa status is at the will of the agent, so if I want to do anything, I have to first discuss it with my agent.”
According to the study, 56% of Bangladeshi workers had to pay heavy recruitment and placement fees to get their first electronic industry job in Malaysia.
It said 70% of Bangladeshi workers took loans in order to pay the required fees to get their first electronic industry jobs in Malaysia. The number of Bangladeshi workers was 58,800, but it increased to 315,154 in 2008, the study said.
Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit Chairman Tasneem Siddique said, “I think there should be a transparent system which protects the interest of both employer and worker .”
She hopes that the findings will help the addressing of workers’ issues at national and international forums on migration.
“We have no report that Bangladeshi migrants in Malaysia are victims of forced labour,” Nurul Islam, joint secretary (employment) of the Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment ministry, told this correspondent yesterday, adding that: “We have no idea of the number of Bangladeshis working in the electronics industry there.”