Bangladesh extends a red carpet welcome to the Malaysian Prime Minister.

On Friday, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim received a red carpet welcome upon his arrival in Dhaka for a brief official visit aimed at elevating relations between Bangladesh and Malaysia. Leading a 58-member delegation, the prime minister landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around 2 p.m. and was received by Chief Adviser Prof. Muhammad Yunus, with a gun salute and guard of honour.

Among those present to welcome him were Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain and the high commissioners of Malaysia and Bangladesh.

This marks the first visit by a Malaysian prime minister to Bangladesh in nearly a decade, and it is the first official visit by any head of government since the interim government was established on August 8.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was escorted directly to the Hotel InterContinental, where he will stay during his brief visit. A bilateral meeting between him and Chief Adviser Prof. Yunus will be held at the hotel, followed by a joint press statement. The discussion is expected to focus on a range of topics, including economic, political, trade, and investment ties, education, technology, manpower export, communications, infrastructure, and defense cooperation, according to Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain.

Currently, approximately 800,000 Bangladeshis live and work in Malaysia, with around 450,000 having migrated between August 2022 and May 2023.

The two leaders will also hold a one-on-one meeting before the bilateral talks, and Prof. Yunus will host a high tea in honour of the Malaysian prime minister.

Additionally, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim will meet President Mohammed Shahabuddin at Bangabhaban, where he will sign the visitor’s book, as confirmed by a senior official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Topics such as Malaysia’s upcoming chairmanship of ASEAN in January 2025 and the Rohingya issue will also be discussed, along with Bangladesh’s potential role as a "Sectoral Dialogue Partner" in ASEAN.

Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain emphasized the significance of this visit in strengthening bilateral relations, viewing it as a symbol of deepening ties and lasting friendship between the two countries.

The Malaysian delegation includes the foreign minister, trade and investment minister, deputy ministers of transport and religious affairs, two members of parliament, and senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's visit follows an invitation from Prof. Yunus in August to further enhance the brotherly relationship between the two nations. Malaysia is currently the eighth-largest investor in Bangladesh, with over $5 billion in investments. Malaysian companies are also eyeing further investment opportunities, particularly in education.

Additionally, a second Malaysian car manufacturer has signed a deal with a Chittagong-based company to distribute and assemble cars. Malaysia also promotes itself as a destination for medical tourism, offering affordable medical treatment for Bangladeshis.

The Malaysian prime minister is scheduled to depart from Dhaka at 6:25 p.m.