Many of the Bangladeshi migrants in Malaysia are dying at the ages of 30 to 40 – a fact that raises questions. In last eight and a half years, 3,312 people died in the Southeast Asian country. In almost all cases the causes of death were related to workplace, accidents, stroke or other illness which are unexpected to the families.
Bangladeshi expatriates, however, say unhealthy working environment, anxiety and extra workload are the major reasons of such deaths.
An analysis of data from different countries found of the total dead bodies coming from different countries, almost 20 per cent are from Malaysia. In last year alone, 510 dead bodies of Bangladeshis were brought to Bangladesh, and this is the highest figure from any country in a single year.
The cause of death has been analyzed in the past year. It found 33 percent of them died of stroke, 35 percent died of heart attack, tuberculosis and many other diseases. And, 20 percent died in road accident. The rest died of other reasons.
According to the Bangladesh High Commission in Malaysia and the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, 216 Bangladeshis died in Malaysia in 2007, 411 in 2008, 472 in 2009, 361 in 2010, 356 in 2011, 340 in 2012, 387 in 2013 and 510 in Bangladeshi. The number was 259 in first six months of this year.
Malaysian High Commission of Bangladesh in Dhaka Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport sources said there is hardly any day of the year when one or two dead bodies have not arrived to Dhaka from Malaysia. On July 17, four bodies of Bangladeshi migrants arrived in Dhaka from Malaysia. They are: Rashedul Islam and Ihsanul Haq of Rangpur, Arifa Sultana and Ashiq Ahmed of Dhaka. They were all killed in a road crash.
Two months ago, Sharif Mollah of Madaripur returned home in coffin. The cause of death was reported stroke. His brother Giasuddin said, “Sharif was only 22 when he went to Malasia in 2008. He had to return home in coffin. How can a young and energetic man can die in stroke? It is difficult to accept such death.”
Abdul Majid, 27 of Ullapara in Sirajganj, returned home in coffin only after three months of his leaving home. He was reported to die of heart attack.
Nazrul Islam, his brother, said, “Earlier, he had no such disease, so why he died in stroke.”
29-year-old Enamul Haque of Comilla too died of stroke. Morshed Alam, 28-year-old, died in accident, while 31-year-old Kabir Hossain died in stroke. His father Babul Sarkar is still unable to accept his son’s death.
Babul Mia, 38 of Gaibandha, Abdur Rahman Sheikh, 37 of Noakhali, Ramzan 29 of Kishoreganj and Selim Hossain 32 of Munshiganj died of stroke. Their bodies arrived in the country in last December. Members of their families raised questions about the deaths.
Mohammad Harun-al-Rashid, coordinator of the CARAM Asia, a network of migrants-rights related NGOs and civil societies, said Bangladeshis spent Tk 2-3 lakh to go to Malaysia with ambition of high-salaried jobs. But, working environment in most of the places here is not good. Many have to work for 18 to 20 hours a day to recoup the money they spent back at home.
“At the end of the long day, they live in slum-like labour camps. At the same time, they fail to recover the money in time. So, he overstays visa,” he said.
Additional work, mental anxiety, eating and living in unhealthy environments, isolation from the family – all these lead to their illness. Then, when one is sick, he has no access to treatment. So, many of the workers are dying at the ages of 30 or 40 years.
There are 50 to 60 thousand Bangladeshis in Klang of Malaysia. Klang City Councillor Manibhanana Al Value, said, “The living conditions of the Bangladeshi workers are very unhealthy. We have talked to the employers about this a number of times. Illness is not uncommon in such environment.”
Musharrat Jebin, first secretary (labour) of Bangladesh High Commission in Malaysia, said every month on average 30 to 35 Bangladeshis die in Malaysia. Most of them are reported to die of stroke, heart disease or accident.
“We send the bodies to their relatives in Bangladesh. These deaths cannot be accepted. However, if they can reduce mental anxiety, have treatment at the beginning of any illness, deaths can be minimized.”
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