Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was accorded a red-carpet reception upon his arrival in Dhaka on Friday for a four-and-a-half-hour official visit aimed at elevating bilateral relations between the two nations.
Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus received him with a gun salute and a guard of honour. Professor Yunus expressed his delight, stating he was "very happy" to welcome his old friend to Dhaka. The two leaders shared a car journey to Hotel InterContinental, the venue for their bilateral discussions, underscoring their close friendship.
This marks the first visit by a Malaysian Prime Minister to Bangladesh in almost a decade, and it is the first official visit by any head of government since the formation of the interim government on 8 August. In August this year, Professor Yunus extended an invitation to Anwar Ibrahim to strengthen the brotherly relationship between Bangladesh and Malaysia.
Currently, around 800,000 Bangladeshis live and work in Malaysia, with approximately 450,000 migrating between August 2022 and May 2024. Malaysia is the eighth largest investor in Bangladesh.
During his visit, Professor Yunus hosted a high tea in honour of the Malaysian Prime Minister. Prior to the bilateral talks, the two leaders held a one-on-one meeting. Professor Yunus briefly spoke about the student-led revolution, the sacrifices made by students and the public, and the atrocities committed by the previous government.
"This visit is of great significance for bilateral relations," said Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain. It is expected to be seen as a symbol of deepening ties and enduring friendship between Bangladesh and Malaysia.
The Malaysian Prime Minister's 58-member delegation included the Foreign Minister, Trade and Investment Minister, Deputy Minister of Transport, Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs, two Members of Parliament, and senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain, along with the High Commissioners of Malaysia and Bangladesh, was also present to receive Prime Minister Anwar.
During the meeting, key issues of mutual interest were discussed, including the Rohingya crisis, economic and political cooperation, trade and investment, education, technology and human resource development, manpower export, higher education collaboration, infrastructure development, and defence cooperation.
Malaysia, which will assume the chair of ASEAN in January 2025, also raised the issue of Bangladesh becoming a "Sectoral Dialogue Partner" in ASEAN for regional cooperation.
Later, the Malaysian Prime Minister met with President Mohammed Shahabuddin at Bangabhaban and signed the visitor's book. Malaysian companies, including several owned by sovereign funds, have invested more than $5 billion in Bangladesh and are interested in further investments, particularly in education. A second Malaysian car manufacturer has also signed an agreement with a Chattogram-based company for the distribution and assembly of vehicles.
Additionally, Malaysia has positioned itself as a potential destination for medical tourism, offering affordable healthcare services to Bangladeshi citizens.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim departed Dhaka at 6:25 pm.
