The memorandum of understanding (MoU) to bring in 1.5 million Bangladeshi workers into Malaysia was today formally signed by both the countries.

The deal - which will see the workers come in stages over the next three years – was inked by Human Resources Minister Richard Riot and Bangladesh’s Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Nurul Islam, reported BDNews24.com .

Signed in Dhaka, Bangladesh, the MoU paves the way for a new worker recruitment system through the government-to-government (G2G) Plus scheme.

This will allow the Bangladeshi workers employment in the construction, service, manufacturing, and agriculture sectors, apart from the existing plantation sector.

Under the new arrangement, employers will bear a levy of between Tk34,000 (RM1,804) and 37,000 (RM1,964) per worker.

Currently, there are about 600,000 Bangladeshis employed in Malaysia.

The announcement on the 1.5 million Bangladeshi workers was made in June last year by Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Since the move was announced, critics have questioned the need to have this additional number of foreign workers when there still is a large group of undocumented migrant workers in the country.