A series of articles published by Free Malaysia Today in July 2023 reports a group of Bangladeshi migrant workers experienced human rights violations in Malaysia.

The first article describes how a group of migrant workers paid a Dhaka-based recruitment agency recruitment fees between 4.8 to 6 lakh taka, alongside an additional 7,000 to 12,000 taka for medical checks and 4000 taka for biometrics. The workers borrowed money from family and friends and took out bank loans to pay the fees.

The workers were not informed of the nature of their job until two days before departure, when they learned it would be in construction, and were not provided with copies of their employment contracts. They had their passports confiscated by the recruitment agency.

Upon arrival, they were not provided with any food.

The second article in the series elaborates on the poor conditions the workers experienced in their accommodation upon arrival, which was overcrowded and unsanitary. They had limited access to food and water throughout their stay.

Workers in the accommodation reported experiencing other labour rights violations, including wage theft. The workers also experienced violence and intimidation from police officers. Some of the workers who were eventually relocated from the accommodation, worked in dangerous jobs without protective equipment, and were injured. These workers were not paid for their labour.

The third and fourth articles in the series highlight the workers experienced debt bondage and forced labour. Their passports remained withheld and the agency limited the migrants' access to information. Many of the workers remain unpaid and without a job, unable to return home and at risk of becoming undocumented.