He meets Malaysian envoy to discuss workers' interests and bilateral ties
Published : 13 Jan 2025, 10:27 PM
Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus has called on Malaysia to issue multiple-entry visas for Bangladeshi workers employed there to facilitate their return home as needed.
The interim prime minister also urged the country to allow entry for the 18,000 Bangladeshi workers who missed the deadline to join their work in the Southeast Asian country in May 2024.
Yunus met Malaysian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Mohd Suhada Othman at the State Guest House Jamuna on Monday, according to a statement from his office.
They discussed issues related to Bangladeshi workers' interests and bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
The high commission said a joint technical committee with officials from both Malaysia and Bangladesh held a meeting in Kuala Lumpur on Dec 31, 2024.
He added that a similar meeting was scheduled to take place on Tuesday.
The chief advisor recalled a meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in Dhaka in October 2024, shortly after the fall of the Awami League government and the formation of the interim administration.
He hoped that Malaysia would expedite the process so that the next batch of Bangladeshi workers could plan to migrate to the country for work.
Yunus congratulated Malaysia for taking over as the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, from Jan 1, 2025.
He also sought the country’s support for Bangladesh’s bid to become a Sectoral Dialogue Partner of ASEAN and in turn, become a full member.
The interim prime minister told the envoy that Bangladesh seeks ASEAN's support at the upcoming International Conference on the Rohingya Crisis to be convened by the United Nations in 2025.
Yunus also urged him to encourage investment from Malaysia and the relocation of Malaysian factories to Bangladesh to take the benefit of the nation’s youth forces.
“I hope that during your stay in Bangladesh, the relationship between Bangladesh and Malaysia will reach a new level of closeness on economic and business levels,” he said.
The chief advisor said Bangladesh looks forward to a convenient date from the Malaysian side to attend the 4th Bilateral Consultation Mechanism, or BCM, in Kuala Lumpur.
He added that it is also prepared to hold a foreign minister-level “5th Joint Commission” meeting in Dhaka, preferably by mid-2025.