Kuala Lumpur, 12 September 2020, TON: Malaysian authority has decided to lift the travel ban on 23 countries, including Bangladesh. Before that, on 4^th September 2020, the administration imposed the temporary entry ban.

            To prevent the spread of COVID-19, Malaysia had announced that people from countries whose nationals had contract COVID would be barred from entry. Though this restriction has been eased, the authority has taken some precautionary measures. Like, the immigrants must be approved by the Malaysian Immigration Department before they enter the country. Besides, their application for entry must be accompanied by a supporting letter from the Malaysian Investment Development Authority or agencies concerned; regional media reports quoted Security Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob as saying.

             After the announcement on the entry ban, Malaysian employers complained that the government should continue to allow expatriates and professional pass-holders to come in as the economy needs their technical skills. Ismail Sabri Yaakob said on Thursday that a select cabinet committee has decided to relax the regulation that was enforced from Monday slightly.

             About 800 000 Bangladeshi work in Malaysia. Many of them are employees of construction and plantation sectors as low-paid workers. Several migrant workers came home on vacation before the pandemic. Later they got that temporary entry ban. Now they are waiting to return to their workplace again. Israt Jahan Leena, University of Chittagong, Bangladesh