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Ahmadul Kobir, Kuala Lumpur: Bangladesh and Malaysia have discussed a wide range of initiatives to deepen bilateral financial and economic cooperation, including a proposed free trade agreement, Islamic finance, renewable energy investment and collaboration in recovering assets and combating money laundering.
The issues came up at a meeting between Bangladesh High Commissioner to Malaysia Manjurul Karim Khan Chowdhury and Malaysian Deputy Finance Minister Liew Chin Tong at the Malaysian Ministry of Finance in Putrajaya on Thursday.
The two sides exchanged views on several areas of mutual interest, with an emphasis on expanding economic engagement, facilitating investment and strengthening financial cooperation between the two countries.
A major issue discussed was the proposed Bangladesh-Malaysia Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which both sides see as a potential avenue for expanding bilateral trade and investment.
The meeting also discussed strengthening institutional cooperation between the central banks of the two countries, along with greater collaboration in Islamic finance. The two sides explored ways to enhance cooperation in anti-money laundering measures and asset recovery, areas that have become increasingly important in strengthening financial transparency and accountability.
The officials also discussed facilitating the withdrawal and transfer of bank deposits by Bangladeshi migrant workers returning home from Malaysia. The initiative could help returning workers bring their savings back to Bangladesh more efficiently while strengthening formal financial channels between the two countries.
Financing opportunities for Malaysia’s growing halal industry were also discussed, alongside potential investment in Bangladesh’s renewable energy sector.
The two sides further explored possible collaboration with Malaysia’s sovereign wealth fund, Khazanah Nasional, as well as the prospect of Malaysian strategic investment in Bangladesh’s proposed investment fund.
The discussions reflect growing interest from both countries in moving beyond traditional trade and labour-migration ties towards broader financial, investment and economic cooperation.
Both sides stressed the importance of expanding bilateral economic engagement and reaffirmed their commitment to promoting mutually beneficial cooperation in financing, investment and sustainable economic development.
Liew Chin Tong welcomed the continued progress in Malaysia-Bangladesh relations and expressed interest in further strengthening cooperation in the areas discussed during the meeting.
The meeting was attended by senior officials from Malaysia’s Ministry of Finance, representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Royal Malaysian Customs Department.
Deputy High Commissioner of Bangladesh Shahanara Monika, First Secretary (Commercial) Pranab Kumar Ghosh and Third Secretary (Political) Mohammad Tanzim Hossain represented the Bangladesh High Commission.
The meeting comes as Bangladesh seeks to diversify its sources of foreign investment and strengthen economic partnerships with key Asian economies, while Malaysia remains an important destination for Bangladeshi workers and a significant partner in trade, investment and remittance flows.