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Prof Yunus Begins Key Malaysia Visit to Boost Bilateral Ties
Malaysia is set to warmly welcome Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, who left Dhaka on Monday for a three-day official visit at the invitation of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
A Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight carrying Prof Yunus and his delegation departed Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 2:00 pm, officials said. The trip is a reciprocal gesture following Anwar’s official visit to Bangladesh in October 2024.
The visit aims to strengthen cooperation in trade, investment, labour, education, tourism, defence, and other key areas. Both leaders will also address regional and international issues of mutual interest.
An official welcoming ceremony will be held Tuesday at the Perdana Putra Complex in Putrajaya, followed by bilateral talks. Several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) are expected to be signed in defence, energy, semiconductor capacity building, trade promotion, diplomatic training, and higher education.
On August 13, Prof Yunus will deliver a public lecture at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and receive an Honorary Doctorate in Social Business. He will also meet members of the Yunus Social Business Centre community.
In 2024, trade between Bangladesh and Malaysia reached USD 2.92 billion, with Malaysia being Bangladesh’s second-largest trading partner in South Asia.
Officials said the visit will address recruitment of Bangladeshi workers, cooperation in deep-sea fishing, electric vehicle manufacturing, and Bangladesh’s bid to join ASEAN and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). The Rohingya crisis will also be raised.
Prof Yunus is accompanied by senior advisers and officials, including the Foreign Affairs, Expatriates’ Welfare, and Energy advisers, the National Security Adviser, the Special Envoy on International Affairs, and the BIDA Executive Chairman.
The Chief Adviser will also attend a Bangladesh-Malaysia Business Forum to announce the formation of a joint business council and hold meetings with Malaysian ministers, business leaders, and university authorities before returning to Dhaka on Wednesday night.