85 Bangladeshi expatriates go without food during Ramadan

85 Bangladeshi workers working at a construction company in Pasir Gudang, Johor, Malaysia are facing an extreme humanitarian crisis. It has been alleged that they have not been paid their salaries and overtime for almost six months. As a result, they are living in food shortages, uncertainty and deep anxiety about their future.
The workers claim that they have not been paid their salaries for a long time despite working under a company called Aster Vision Sdn Bhd (EVSB). They even alleged that the company has stopped supplying food since the end of January.
Today, Monday (March 16), the affected workers told us that they came to Malaysia on August 29, 2023 through Bangladeshi recruitment agency Merit Trade International Limited (RL No. 933). Although they migrated abroad with dreams of a better life, their dreams have now turned into a nightmare.
According to the workers, they have been working for the construction company since arriving in Malaysia. But they have not been paid any salary for the past six months. This has made their daily lives difficult. Many of them had taken huge loans before returning home. Now, let alone repaying the loans, they are struggling to make ends meet.
The workers alleged that the company has completely stopped supplying them with food since January 22 this year. The situation has become even more dire during the holy month of Ramadan. They said that they are currently depending on zakat and food assistance given by some local Bangladeshis. However, even that food has almost run out. Many times they break their fast with only water. Sometimes they have to eat leftover water or stale rice from the previous day to complete their sehri.
A worker who did not want to be named said, “We spend every day in uncertainty. We are working, but we are not getting paid. There is no provision for food. It is even harder to think about our families in such a situation.” After waiting for a long time and not getting any solution, the workers filed a complaint with the Malaysian Department of Labour (JTK) in January this year. However, they said that even after filing the complaint, the problem has not been effectively resolved.
The workers claim that after filing a complaint with the labor department, the company started pressurizing them. Some workers’ visas were canceled after they demanded their arrears of wages. There are also allegations that some more workers’ visas were not renewed. According to the workers, the company canceled the visas of six workers in an attempt to recover the arrears of wages and did not renew the visa of one for eight months. Also, the visas of eight workers expired on March 18.
The aggrieved workers have alleged that the company is trying to intimidate them into signing blank papers. The workers fear that their arrears of wages may be embezzled using these papers. At the same time, they have also alleged that the company is wasting time in court by providing false information. As a result, the hearing of the case is also taking a long time.
The workers said that after waiting for almost four months, they filed a complaint with the labor department. Now the labor department has arranged a meeting with the employer on April 17. However, everyone is worried about how they will live till then. A section of the affected workers alleged that they had visited the Bangladesh High Commission in Kuala Lumpur several times in the hope of help. But they did not get the expected help there.
Some workers, who did not want to be named, said, we had hoped that the High Commission would stand by us. But at times it felt like they were speaking for the company. They claimed that the High Commission officials, despite seeing the situation, were not creating any effective diplomatic pressure to collect the arrears. This made them feel even more helpless.
However, according to the workers, the High Commission had assured them that after discussions with the company, initiatives were being taken to pay at least two months of arrears. When contacted about the complaint, EVSB spokesperson Law Ik Hui said that the company was aware of the concerns raised by the foreign workers and was currently trying to resolve the issue through the Labour Department.
He claimed that the company had not refused to pay the salaries and was working to resolve the issue as per the law. He also said that arrangements have been made to provide food to the workers during this period and some financial assistance has also been given to buy their own food. However, the workers denied this claim, saying that no financial assistance or food was provided by the company.
The company spokesperson also said that the Bangladesh High Commission has also been contacted and a compromise framework has been proposed. Under this, some workers have already reached a compromise and withdrawn their grievances. According to him, the company is committed to resolving the issue quickly and ensuring the welfare of the workers.
On the other hand, the workers are demanding that their outstanding salaries be paid quickly and a ‘release letter’ be issued so that they can get work opportunities elsewhere. Many of their family members are dependent on their income in Bangladesh. In addition, they are also suffering from the burden of loans taken to come abroad. “We have families in our country. They need to pay their bills. If we don’t get our salaries, our families will also be in trouble,” said one worker. They are currently seeking urgent intervention from the government. They hope that if the authorities concerned take swift action, this humanitarian crisis can end and they will get their just dues.