Around 17,000 people, who were planning to go to Malaysia, failed to go there within the stipulated time, said State Minister for Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Shofiqur Rahman Chowdhury on Sunday.

Already a six-member body, headed by additional secretary of Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry, Mahbubul Haque, has been formed to look into the reason behind the failure of workers in Malaysia and the committee was asked to submit its report within the next seven working days, he said while talking to reporters at the Ministry.

Till May 31, the Bureau of Manpower Employment Training (BMET) has given the clearance certificate to 4,93,642 workers to go to Malaysia and among them 4,76,672 went to the country while 16970 remained left in Bangladesh, he said.

Assuring that punitive action will be taken against those who will found responsible in sending the workers to Malaysia, Shofiqur said the government will find out the reason behind failure of sending workers by the recruiting agencies within stipulated time, identify those recruiting agencies involved in it and complains if any to the committee and will fix how to deal with such issues, he said.

Noting that the government was always sincere about sending workers to Malaysia, Shofiqur said urgent notices have been published in advertisements in the newspapers while twenty-three additional flights have been operated to carry workers.

In addition, we have sent a letter requesting extension of time to send workers to Malaysia.

Replying to a question about the syndicate, the junior minister said the government doesn’t believe in any syndicate and the government wants that the recruiting agencies, approved by the government, can send workers.

Expecting the opening of the labour market in Malaysia, Shofiqur said the government is working with utmost sincerity.

Besides, secretary to the Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment, Ruhul Amin, said those who have tickets issued before May 24, were approved to go to Malaysia.