ANWAR IBRAHIM’S VISIT TO BANGLADESH POINTS TOWARDS ENHANCED BILATERAL COOPERATION

By Rohani Mohd Ibrahim

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 3 (Bernama) -- Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s scheduled short official visit to Bangladesh on Friday has generated significant anticipation, with local media in Bangladesh already highlighting its potential impact.

According to the Dhaka Tribune, this will be the first visit by a Malaysian Prime Minister to Bangladesh in nearly 11 years and will mark the first visit by a foreign head of government under the interim administration led by Nobel Laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus.

The last official visit by a Malaysian prime minister was in November 2013, when Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak visited Dhaka.

The Dhaka Tribune also cited an official saying, "There is a friendship between the Chief Advisor (Dr. Muhammad Yunus) and the Malaysian Prime Minister. This friendship may have influenced Anwar’s decision to stop over in Dhaka on his way back from Islamabad."

Anwar is currently on a three-day official visit to Pakistan and will make a brief stopover in Dhaka lasting about four hours before returning to Malaysia.

Despite the short duration, the bilateral meeting with Dr. Muhammad Yunus, and a separate discussion with Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin, are seen as strategically important.

The media outlet expressed hope that Anwar’s visit could pave the way for Malaysia’s support of Bangladesh’s reforms and active cooperation on the repatriation of Rohingyas within the ASEAN framework.

As Malaysia is set to assume the chairmanship of ASEAN in 2025, this issue could become a key topic of discussion during the visit.

Meanwhile, Daily Sun, another Bangladeshi media outlet, reported that the Bangladesh-Malaysia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BMCCI) President, Shabbir A Khan, expressed optimism about the visit’s potential to elevate bilateral relations.

Shabbir emphasised Bangladesh’s interest in pursuing a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Malaysia to boost trade and investment. 

He pointed out that both countries could explore new opportunities for collaboration in key sectors such as textiles, ICT, technology, and agriculture, which could contribute to economic growth on both sides.

“Anwar’s visit could also advance Bangladesh’s bid to become a sectoral dialogue partner of ASEAN,” Shabbir noted, adding that Malaysia’s role as an ASEAN member could be instrumental in supporting Bangladesh’s aspiration.

Shabbir also emphasised Malaysia’s commitment to supporting Bangladesh in finding sustainable solutions to the Rohingya crisis and noted that the BMCCI believes Malaysia favours Bangladesh's inclusion in the ASEAN framework.

The United News of Bangladesh (UNB), in its report on Thursday, quoted Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain, stating that the bilateral discussions between Anwar and Dr Muhammad Yunus are expected to cover a wide range of areas, including economic and trade relations, political cooperation, investment, manpower export, higher education partnerships, technology, infrastructure development, and defence cooperation.

The report said that Malaysia is currently the eighth-largest investor in Bangladesh, with Malaysian companies - including several backed by sovereign funds - having invested over US$5 billion in the country. A second Malaysian car manufacturer recently signed an agreement with a Chattogram-based company to distribute and assemble cars, underscoring the growing economic ties between the two nations.

With these developments in mind, Anwar’s visit is poised to enhance bilateral cooperation and lay the groundwork for new strategic partnerships.

-- BERNAMA