Focus on migration and investment during Chief Adviser’s visit to Malaysia

Migration and investment will be key priorities during Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus’s upcoming visit to Malaysia, Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said today.

“The Chief Adviser leaves for Malaysia tomorrow on a three-day state visit. This is a significant tour, during which numerous agreements will be signed. Our goal is to further deepen relations with Malaysia, with migration as the top priority and investment as the second,” Alam told a press briefing on the visit at the Foreign Service Academy.

Highlighting Malaysia’s importance to Bangladesh’s manpower sector, he said: “We aim to elevate our labour migration to the point where Malaysia becomes the top destination for Bangladeshi workers. Discussions will take place on this matter, and related agreements will be signed.”

The itinerary includes meetings with CEOs of major Malaysian companies. A business conference is scheduled for August 12, followed by the conferment of an honorary degree on the Chief Adviser by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) on August 13, where Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is expected to attend. A bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Anwar on August 12 will also be a key highlight.

Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Shah Asif Rahman said the visit, taking place from August 11–13 at the invitation of Prime Minister Anwar, will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including advisers on foreign affairs, expatriate welfare, power and energy, and national security, as well as the Chief Adviser’s special envoy for international affairs and the BIDA Executive Chairman.

Upon arrival, Professor Yunus will be welcomed with a guard of honour, received by Malaysian Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail. The bilateral meeting at the Malaysian Prime Minister’s Office in Putrajaya will be followed by the signing of several MoUs covering defence cooperation; energy collaboration including LNG and petroleum supply and infrastructure; partnerships between BIISS and Malaysia’s ISIS; cooperation between the Bangladesh-Malaysia Chamber of Commerce and chip manufacturer MIMOS; and agreements between the FBCCI and its Malaysian counterpart.

Additional accords will be signed on halal industry development, Foreign Service Academy collaboration, and higher education cooperation.

Rahman noted that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was the first foreign head of government to visit Bangladesh after Professor Yunus’s interim government was formed on August 8, 2024.

Following the bilateral meeting, a joint press conference and state lunch will be held. The Chief Adviser will also take part in a business forum and meet with the Bangladeshi expatriate community.

Key discussion topics with the Malaysian Prime Minister will include expanding opportunities for Bangladeshi workers, recruiting more professionals, improving worker facilities, strengthening bilateral trade, enhancing agricultural cooperation, and exploring the potential of the deep sea.