Immigration Cracks Down on Fake Bangladeshi Athletes

KUALA LUMPUR: The Immigration Department will no longer permit “athletes” from Bangladesh to enter Malaysia without valid supporting documents for sporting events.

Director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban revealed that a syndicate had been exploiting this loophole, bringing Bangladeshi nationals into the country under the guise of participating in sporting events, only for them to seek employment in Malaysia.

In October, authorities intercepted 18 such “sportsmen,” aged between 21 and 33, during a raid in Maluri. Seized items included passports and an invitation letter to a supposed sports competition. Three other Bangladeshis believed to be members of the syndicate were also arrested. The syndicate allegedly charged each individual between RM2,000 and RM5,000.

“Just two days after those arrests, we thwarted another attempt to bring in 20 Bangladeshis through Kuala Lumpur International Airport,” Zakaria said.

The individuals were issued Not-to-Land notices and deported back to Bangladesh.

He added, “On Jan 15, 2023, we discovered 23 Bangladeshi nationals had entered Malaysia under the same pretense. They claimed to participate in a sporting event but later registered for the Manpower Recalibration Programme.” However, their applications were rejected as they did not meet the required criteria.

Zakaria expressed concerns that other syndicates might be employing similar methods to smuggle individuals into the country. To counteract this, the department plans to tighten screening measures for Bangladeshi “athletes” and scrutinize supporting documents for events.

The department will also collaborate with other agencies to monitor the admission of Bangladeshis for sporting events and track down any remaining syndicate members and overstayers.

Last September, the department deported 29 Pakistanis who arrived at Langkawi International Airport under the pretense of participating in a running event. The group’s suspicious behavior, including a lack of running gear and only traditional kurtas in their luggage, led to their removal from the country.