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Bangladesh and Malaysia have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral relations and opening a new chapter of multifaceted cooperation as Malaysia celebrated its 69th National Day and the 63rd anniversary of Malaysia Day.
The commitment was expressed at a reception hosted by the Malaysian High Commission at a city hotel. Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan was present at the function as the chief guest.
Representatives of the Bangladesh government, political leaders, civil society members, ambassadors, high commissioners and leaders of the business community based in Dhaka attended the reception.
Congratulating the government and people of Malaysia, Dr Moyeen Khan expressed optimism that the longstanding friendship between the two countries would continue to grow stronger in the years ahead.
Referring to the historical foundations of the relationship, he recalled the 1979 visit of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman to Malaysia and also mentioned Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s recent official visit to the country.
The minister said bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Malaysia currently stood at around US$3 billion and identified significant opportunities for expanding economic cooperation.
He said the two countries could further strengthen ties in areas including trade, investment, energy, education, digital infrastructure, electric vehicles and advanced technologies.
Dr Moyeen Khan also stressed the importance of ensuring safe, orderly and transparent migration for Bangladeshi workers, calling for closer cooperation between the two countries to prevent the exploitation of workers and dismantle unscrupulous recruitment syndicates.
Malaysian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Shuhada Othman said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s decision to choose Malaysia for his first official foreign visit carried a strong message of trust and confidence in the relationship between the two countries.
He noted that Bangladesh had emerged as Malaysia’s second-largest trading partner in South Asia and said both countries were working towards further strengthening their economic partnership.
The High Commissioner said Bangladesh and Malaysia were exploring the possibility of concluding a Malaysia-Bangladesh Free Trade Agreement by 2027, which could open new opportunities for trade and investment.
Highlighting the people-to-people dimension of the relationship, Othman referred to the shared cultural values and historical links between the two countries.
Quoting the works of national poets Kazi Nazrul Islam and Rabindranath Tagore, he said diversity should not divide people but instead enrich friendship and strengthen mutual understanding.
“Our differences should not divide us, but enrich our friendship,” he said, referring to Malaysia’s MADANI vision of inclusivity, mutual respect and shared prosperity.
The Malaysian envoy also reaffirmed his country’s continued solidarity with Bangladesh over the Rohingya crisis and stressed the need for a safe, voluntary and dignified repatriation of the forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals to their homeland.
Dr Moyeen Khan expressed hope that Malaysia would continue to play a constructive role in efforts to find a lasting solution to the Rohingya crisis.
On regional cooperation, Othman said Malaysia was ready to support Bangladesh’s aspiration to become an ASEAN Sectoral Dialogue Partner and its possible future engagement with the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.
The event also highlighted expanding cooperation in education and tourism. More than 10,000 Bangladeshi students are currently pursuing higher education in Malaysia, while both countries are seeking to promote greater tourism and people-to-people exchanges through Malaysia’s Visit Malaysia campaigns.
The celebration concluded with a showcase of Malaysian cuisine and cultural heritage. Guests were also presented with handkerchiefs featuring the Bunga Raya, Malaysia’s national flower, manufactured in Bangladesh, symbolising the growing economic and cultural links between the two countries.