Yunus returns to Dhaka after Malaysia trip

The chief advisor thanks Malaysian PM Anwar for hosting what he called a “historic visit”

Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus has returned to Dhaka after his three-day state visit to Malaysia.

The Chief Advisor’s Office said his flight landed at the Shahjalal International Airport at 9:10pm on Wednesday.

According to a statement from the CAO, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim called Yunus on his mobile phone after the Bangladeshi delegation arrived at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

Anwar exchanged greetings with the team and said relevant issues from their talks would be discussed further in Malaysia’s cabinet.

It added, Yunus thanked Anwar for hosting what he called a “historic visit”. Malaysia’s Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail saw him off at the airport.

The trip, which began on Aug 11, aimed to deepen bilateral relations and resulted in the signing of five Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and the exchange of three notes between the two countries.

Talks also focused on recruiting more Bangladeshi workers, sending skilled professionals, and improving labour benefits.

Upon arrival in Malaysia on Monday, Yunus was received with a guard of honour.

The following day, delegations from both countries met at the Malaysian Prime Minister’s Office in Putrajaya, followed by a one-on-one meeting between Yunus and Anwar. The MoUs covered defence, energy supply, trade, and other cooperation areas.

On Wednesday in Kuala Lumpur, Yunus met Malaysian Higher Education Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), where he proposed the introduction of a “Graduate Plus” visa for Bangladeshi students.

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia also awarded Yunus an honorary doctorate.