Dhaka, May 15 (UNB) – Bangladesh and Malaysia will sign a deal soon to check human trafficking between the two countries, according to a report run by Malaysian state-run news agency Bernama.

“Malaysia and Bangladesh will be signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to combat human trafficking between the two countries so that innocent people are not exploited,” the report said quoting Malaysian Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein on Monday.

"The MoU will be signed soon after both countries create a mechanism at the operational level whereby political will between Malaysia and Bangladesh can be translated into an action plan involving the respective authorities," the minister said.

The MoU was hoped could also help combat other related crimes like money laundering, drugs and weapons smuggling, he told reporters after a meeting with visiting Bangladesh Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Khandker Mosharraf Hossain.

The Malaysian home minister said ties between the two countries would be cemented further as Bangladesh supplied the highest number of foreign workers to serve in various sectors in Malaysia including construction, agriculture and services.

He also said Malaysia and Bangladesh had worked closely during Malaysia's 6P foreign worker amnesty programme particularly during the registration and legalisation exercises.