Malaysian PM Arrives In Dhaka

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim received a red carpet welcome upon his arrival in Dhaka on Friday for a brief official visit aimed at enhancing relations between the two countries.

Leading a 58-member delegation, the Malaysian Prime Minister arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around 2 PM. He was greeted by Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, who welcomed him with a gun salute and a guard of honor.

Among those present were Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain and the high commissioners of Malaysia and Bangladesh. This visit marks the first by a Malaysian prime minister to Bangladesh in nearly a decade and is also the first visit by a head of government since the interim government took office on August 8.

After his arrival, the Prime Minister was taken directly to the Hotel InterContinental, where he will stay during his short visit. A bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Ibrahim and Chief Adviser Prof Yunus is scheduled at the hotel, followed by a joint press statement.

The discussions are expected to cover a range of topics, including economic, political, trade and investment, education, technology, human resource development, manpower export, higher education cooperation, communications, infrastructure development, and defense cooperation, as stated by Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain.

Currently, around 800,000 Bangladeshis live and work in Malaysia, with approximately 450,000 having migrated between August 2022 and May of this year.

Before the bilateral talks, the two leaders will have a one-on-one meeting, and Prof Yunus will host high tea in honor of the Malaysian Prime Minister. He is also scheduled to meet President Mohammed Shahabuddin at Bangabhaban and will sign the visitor's book there.

As Malaysia is set to chair ASEAN from January 2025, discussions will include the Rohingya issue and the possibility of Bangladesh becoming a "Sectoral Dialogue Partner" in ASEAN to enhance regional cooperation.

"This visit is crucial for bilateral relations," noted the Foreign Affairs Adviser, emphasizing that it signifies a strengthening of ties and enduring friendship between Bangladesh and Malaysia.

The delegation includes Malaysia's foreign minister, trade and investment minister, deputy transport minister, deputy minister of religious affairs, two members of parliament, and senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In August, Prof Yunus invited Anwar Ibrahim to make this short visit to further reinforce the brotherly relationship between the two nations. Malaysia ranks as the eighth largest investor in Bangladesh.

Prof Yunus has maintained strong ties with Malaysia, with at least seven Malaysian universities establishing Yunus Centres to promote his social business concepts and the three-zero initiatives he advocates.

Malaysian companies, including those backed by sovereign funds, have invested over $5 billion in Bangladesh and are eager to invest further, particularly in the education sector. Additionally, a second Malaysian car manufacturer has signed an agreement with a company in Chittagong to distribute and assemble cars.

Malaysia aims to position itself as a preferred destination for medical tourism, offering essential medical treatments to Bangladeshis at affordable prices.

The Malaysian Prime Minister is set to depart Dhaka at 6:25 PM.