Prof Yunus says Malaysian PM’s visit to Bangladesh brought hope in Post-Crisis Period

Chief Adviser Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus has said that Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s official visit to Dhaka last year delivered a vital morale boost to Bangladesh as it was emerging from a period of political upheaval.

Speaking to Malaysia’s national news agency Bernama on Wednesday, shortly before wrapping up his three-day official visit to Malaysia, the Nobel laureate described Anwar’s trip as a beacon of hope during one of the country’s most challenging chapters.

Yunus, who has led the interim government since August 8, 2024, recalled the uncertainty that followed the youth-led July uprising which toppled former prime minister Sheikh Hasina. He likened the aftermath to being hit by a “magnitude 9 earthquake” that left the nation in disarray.

“We were handed the responsibility of running the country in an extremely difficult situation. Not only did we have to clean up the mess, but we also had to rebuild everything. While we were still figuring out how to move forward, we received the good news that the Prime Minister of Malaysia would be visiting us,” he said.

Anwar’s visit in October 2024 — the first by a foreign leader after the formation of the Yunus-led administration — carried deep symbolic value, Yunus noted. “He gave us hope. His presence was enormously exciting for the people. Malaysia is well known to Bangladeshis, as many of our people live and work there. Having the Malaysian prime minister say, ‘We’re with you,’ meant a lot to us.”

The 85-year-old economist and founder of Grameen Bank also highlighted Malaysia’s early adoption of the Grameen microcredit model through Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia.

During his recent Malaysia visit from August 11 to 13, Yunus met with Anwar to review bilateral ties and explore cooperation in trade, investment, labour, education, tourism, defence, and regional issues. He also engaged with political leaders and business figures across various sectors.

“We had a wonderful and very successful visit. Everyone was generous with their time, and all the people we wanted to meet came forward,” he said, expressing confidence that the trip would further strengthen the relationship between the two countries, which have enjoyed close ties since establishing diplomatic relations in 1972.

Malaysia is Bangladesh’s second-largest trading partner in South Asia. In 2024, bilateral trade rose 5.1 per cent to RM13.35 billion (US\$2.92 billion), with key Malaysian exports including petroleum products, palm oil, and chemicals, while Bangladesh’s main exports comprise textiles, footwear, and manufactured goods.