An additional 12,000 Bangladeshi workers will be allowed to work in the plantations sector in Sarawak said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
Najib said Sarawak needed 62,000 workers in the sector and Malaysia may bring in more workers from the country to meet this demand.
“If they can adapt themselves, we will consider increasing this numbers,” he said after a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the move was signed by Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Richard Riot and Bangladesh Minister for expatriates welfare and overseas employment Khandker Mosharraf.
Three other MoUs, on partial abolition of visa requirement, cooperation in the field of tourism and cooperation in the field of culture, arts and heritage were also signed.
The MoUs were signed in conjunction with Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina three-day official visit to Malaysia.
Najib said there were almost 300,000 Bangladeshi working legally in various sectors including construction and manufacturing.
He said the new workers will start arriving early next year.
Najib said both Malaysia and Bangladesh agreed to expand bilateral trade including working towards a Free Trade Agreement.