July 11, 2025
DHAKA – Sohel Howlader (pseudonym) was preparing to travel to Saudi Arabia on a salesman visa. In February, he contacted a recruiting agency in Dhaka’s Paltan area to begin the mandatory medical certification process for Gulf-bound workers.
The agency offered him two options: a Tk 10,000 “standard” medical package that could result in an “unfit” certificate if any health issues were found — rendering his passport unusable until the expiry of the certificate. The other option would be a Tk 20,000 package that guaranteed a “fit” certificate regardless of his condition.
“I took the Tk 10,000 package because I believed I was healthy,” Sohel told The Daily Star recently. He passed the test at a centre near 100-feet Road in Dhaka and received his certificate. Still, his travel remains stalled due to procedural delays.
Meanwhile, others were not as fortunate.
Ratan Mia from Cox’s Bazar paid Tk 25,000 to an agent for a “fit” certificate from a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)-approved medical centre. After reaching Saudi Arabia, a follow-up check found him unfit, and he was deported.
“Now I’m drowning in debt, chased by loan sharks,” he said.
These stories expose a powerful syndicate turning the mandatory health check into a tool for exploitation. Previously known as GAMCA, the GCC-approved centres in Bangladesh are allegedly controlled by a few influential owners who have monopolised the process and profit massively by manipulating referrals and issuing fake certificates.
Former GAMCA president Jahangir Alam Biswas admitted that a racket is extorting workers. “We’re trying to resolve the issue through discussions. The ministry is also looking into it, and we’ve held several meetings,” he told The Daily Star.
Although there are over 200 approved centres, nearly 90 percent of referrals go to just about 20 centres, according to industry insiders.
To undergo the check-up for jobs in the Middle East, agencies must buy a $10 referral token from the Wafid system run by the Gulf Health Council. The total cost should not exceed Tk 8,500–9,000 per worker.
But syndicate-linked centres pre-book hundreds of slots in advance, leaving most other centres with no referrals, while a few centres process up to 500 workers a day.
Once tests are done, reports are uploaded online.
In many cases, tests are conducted in Dhaka, but the reports are submitted under the names of district-based centres to avoid scrutiny, a recruiting agency owner said, requesting anonymity.
The syndicate reportedly charges Tk 25,000–30,000 for a guaranteed “fit” certificate — three times the official fee. As most slots are booked by them, they get to exploit the situation easily.
A highly placed source told The Daily Star that key figures behind the racket include Mohammad Bashir, owner of over a dozen centres and linked to Rabbi International, along with Noman Chowdhury and Enam Chowdhury.
Contacted, Bashir said, “I’ve never heard of anyone misusing these certificates or any investigation in this regard.”
The GCC Approved Medical Centres Association has had no executive committee in Bangladesh for over a decade. Former president Jahangir Alam said Noman Chowdhury currently plays a leading role.
Noman and Enam did not respond to repeated calls.
Industry insiders estimate that by monopolising the process and issuing fraudulent reports, the syndicate earns hundreds of crores annually.
Amid mounting allegations, members of the GCC-approved medical centres voiced their frustration during a programme in Dhaka on June 26.
They demanded the cancellation of licences of syndicate-linked centres and fair referral distribution.
“About 95 percent of approved centres are getting no work. The syndicate is manipulating the system and earning crores,” said one member.
“This is not just corruption — it’s endangering lives,” added another. “Unfit workers with fake certificates are being deported, damaging Bangladesh’s reputation as a labour-sending country.”
AZM Nurul Haque, joint secretary (monitoring and enforcement wing) of the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, said, “We’ve heard of irregularities, including extra charges for health certificates, but haven’t received formal complaints.”
“We’ve contacted the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Ministry of Health Affairs for investigation. We’re also conducting our own inquiry,” he added.