Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus has urged Malaysia to issue multiple-entry visas for Bangladeshi workers to ease their ability to return home when necessary.
The appeal was made during a meeting with the Malaysian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Mohd Shuhada Othman, at the State Guest House Jamuna on Monday.
Professor Yunus also called for Malaysia's assistance in facilitating the entry of 18,000 Bangladeshi workers who missed the May 2024 deadline to join their jobs in Malaysia. He expressed optimism that ongoing discussions between the two countries would yield a resolution soon, referencing a recent meeting of the joint technical committee in Kuala Lumpur and another planned for Tuesday.
Recalling his October meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in Dhaka, Dr. Yunus emphasized the importance of expediting migration processes for Bangladeshi workers heading to Malaysia.
During the discussion, the Chief Adviser congratulated Malaysia on assuming the ASEAN chairmanship in January 2025 and sought support for Bangladesh's bid to become a Sectoral Dialogue Partner of ASEAN, with the ultimate goal of full membership. He also sought Malaysia's cooperation in the upcoming UN International Conference on the Rohingya Crisis in 2025, following the UN General Assembly Resolution 79/182.
Highlighting economic collaboration, Dr. Yunus encouraged Malaysia to increase investment in Bangladesh and consider relocating Malaysian factories to take advantage of Bangladesh’s young workforce. He expressed hope that the new High Commissioner would help foster stronger economic ties between the two nations.
The Chief Adviser further proposed that the 4th Bilateral Consultation Mechanism (BCM) be held in Kuala Lumpur soon and expressed Bangladesh’s readiness to host the 5th Joint Commission meeting in Dhaka by mid-2025.
Senior Secretary for SDG Affairs Lamiya Morshed also attended the meeting.
