Dhaka: The first group of some 30,000 Bangladeshis are expected to reach Malaysia in February, 2013 as plantation workers as Kuala Lumpur agreed to reopen its job market for Bangladeshis, Expatriate Welfare Minister Khandker Mosharraf Hossain said.

"We’d signed an agreement with them (Malaysian government) last week for sending our workforce there under G to G (government to government) arrangements," Hossain told a news briefing on his return from Kuala Lumpur.

He said the intending workers could enlist their names at their respective unions and upazilas while on their selection on the basis of area quota they would need to pay only Taka 40,000, of which Taka 30,000 would be charged as plane fare and the rest for accomplishing other formalities.

"In case one does not have the ability to pay the amount, the Expatriate Welfare Bank will stand by him with credit to be deducted against his salary abroad," Hossain said.

The minister said under the arrangement with Kuala Lumpur one migrant worker could stay in Malaysia for as high as five years though his initial contact would be for two years.

Ends/AMA/02/12/12