Like many others, Sufian Khan borrowed a large sum of money, hoping to go to Malaysia to change his fortune.

He spent over Tk 4.5 lakh to make the arrangements, dreaming of a better life for his family.

But his dream soon turned into despair when he, along with nine others, was deported by Malaysian authorities early yesterday.

"I still have a loan of over Tk 1 lakh," he told The Daily Star from Barishal.

Sufian said they were forcibly taken to Kuala Lumpur International Airport by executives of Malaysian glove manufacturing company Mediceram, based in Selangor

The company terminated all 180 Bangladeshi workers on October 31 after they protested the non-renewal of visas for more than 90 of them.

Following their termination, some of the workers went to the Bangladesh High Commission seeking help, but received none.

A Mediceram executive was present at the high commission and held a meeting for about two and a half hours, while the workers were kept waiting outside, said another deportee, Nironjan. "When we finally got to speak, the high commission officials told us they could do nothing about it," he said.

The migrants also turned to the immigration and labour departments in Kuala Lumpur, but no one accepted their complaints, said Nironjan…