Diplomatic Correspondent: The High Commissioner of Malaysia to Bangladesh Mohd Shuhada Othman paid his maiden courtesy meeting with the State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam, MP, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday.

The High Commissioner congratulated the Hon’ble State Minister on her assumption of office and conveyed the warm greetings and best wishes of the Government of Malaysia to the newly elected Government of Bangladesh led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. The High Commissioner expressed hope that bilateral relations between the two countries would continue to strengthen under the new leadership and mentioned that the Hon’ble Prime Minister of Bangladesh would be invited to pay a bilateral visit to Malaysia, noting that high-level visits would further elevate the longstanding partnership.

The State Minister highlighted the contribution of former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia in promoting Bangladesh–Malaysia relations. She also noted that the Government of Bangladesh remains committed to advancing bilateral cooperation while emphasizing the Government’s strong focus on transparency, accountability, and anti-corruption.

During the meeting, both sides identified priority areas for cooperation, including diversification of exports and imports, technical collaboration in agriculture, sports cooperation, energy trade, and supply chain partnerships, alongside increased exports of Bangladeshi apparel. State Minister also stressed the need for effective implementation of the Memoranda of Understanding signed during the recent high-level visit of the former Chief Advisor to Malaysia.

Both sides also discussed potential cooperation in emerging sectors, including the semiconductor industry, halal sector development, and agro-based industries. The High Commissioner highlighted opportunities for technology transfer and noted that Malaysian automobile companies could explore assembling vehicles in Bangladesh while providing training to young Bangladeshi professionals in the sector. The possibility of establishing a Joint Business Council between the two countries was also discussed.

The State Minister emphasized that creating employment opportunities for youth and women remains a key priority of the Government of Bangladesh and highlighted the country’s focus on sending skilled manpower to Malaysia. She expressed appreciation to the Government of Malaysia for facilitating multiple-entry visas for Bangladeshi nationals and highlighted the importance of enhanced manpower cooperation. She further emphasized the significance of human resource development and vocational training to equip Bangladeshi youth with skills for the international labour market. It was also noted that more than 10,000 Bangladeshi students are currently studying in Malaysia, while Bangladeshi academics are contributing to Malaysian universities.

Highlighting the role of the private sector in strengthening economic cooperation, the State Minister proposed increased imports from Bangladesh, including pharmaceuticals, ceramics, jute products, and ready-made garments. She also proposed exploring the establishment of a joint cultural centre in Malaysia to promote Bangladeshi art, culture, cuisine, and language. The High Commissioner, in turn, highlighted the presence of Malaysian investments in Bangladesh, including companies such as Robi and Edotco, which are contributing to Bangladesh’s economic development.

The State Minister sought Malaysia’s support for Bangladesh’s bid to become a Sectoral Dialogue Partner of ASEAN and also requested Malaysia’s continued support in addressing the Rohingya crisis and ensuring the safe and sustainable repatriation of displaced Rohingyas to Myanmar.

The meeting concluded with both sides expressing optimism about the future trajectory of Bangladesh–Malaysia relations and reaffirming their shared commitment to elevating the partnership to a dynamic and multidimensional level through concrete and result-oriented initiatives.