Malaysia is expected to launch a ‘Graduate Plus’ visa scheme for Bangladeshi students

Malaysia is poised to introduce a ‘Graduate Plus’ visa scheme for Bangladeshi students, potentially opening the door for thousands to secure high-skilled jobs in its growing economy.

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus raised the matter during a meeting with Malaysian Higher Education Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur. “We had productive discussions with the minister, who has agreed in principle to grant Graduate Pass visas to Bangladeshi students studying in Malaysia. However, certain formalities must be completed before the policy comes into effect,” said Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul.

Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain also attended the meeting. Currently, around 10,000 Bangladeshi students are enrolled in Malaysian universities, according to the Chief Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder. While students from other countries can already access Malaysia’s job market, this opportunity has so far been unavailable to Bangladeshis.

Earlier on Wednesday, Malaysian Education Minister Fadhlina binti Sidek met Prof Yunus at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur. Discussions focused on expanding educational cooperation, including increasing scholarships for Bangladeshi students and strengthening student and faculty exchange programmes.

Dhaka also sought formal recognition of Bangladeshi degrees by Malaysian authorities and institutions. The Malaysian minister expressed keen interest in Prof Yunus’s “Three Zero” campaign, which seeks to eliminate global poverty and unemployment while reducing carbon emissions to zero.

“Unless you imagine a world without poverty, it won’t happen,” Prof Yunus said, calling on global leaders to work towards a civilisation that avoids self-destruction.

Prof Yunus invited the Malaysian education minister to visit Dhaka to advance educational ties. Energy Adviser Fouzul Kabir Khan, National Security Adviser Dr Khalilur Rahman, Special Envoy Lutfey Siddiqi, and Senior Secretary on SDGs Affairs Lamiya Morshed were also present.