Anwar Ibrahim due today

FE Team | Published: October 04, 2024 00:37:51

Anwar Ibrahim

Malaysian Prime Minister Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka this afternoon (Friday), will be given a guard of honour at the airport, report agencies.
Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus will receive the Malaysian premier when he will arrive at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 2.30 PM, foreign ministry sources said.
A 58-member delegation consisting members of his cabinet, ministers, members of parliament and senior government officials, among others, will accompany Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim during his visit.
After completion of airport formalities, the Prime Minister will be taken to Hotel Inter Continental Dhaka by a ceremonial motorcade where he will hold Tete-a-Tete (One-to-One) meeting with Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus.
Later, the two leaders will hold bilateral level talks when wide range of issues relating to mutual interests including economic cooperation, political relations, trade and investment, labour migration, education, technology, infrastructure development and defense collaboration are expected to be discussed prominently.
During the meeting, Bangladesh is expected to seek Malaysia's support in addressing the ongoing Rohingya refugee crisis, as well as advance its aspirations to become a "Sectoral Dialogue Partner" within the ASEAN framework, said Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain in a media briefing here recently.
Later, a joint press statement will be issued, according to itinerary of the visit.
According to the programme schedule, the Malaysian premier will call on President Mohammed Shahbuddin at Bangabhaban.
Wrapping up his one day visit, the Malaysian Prime Minister will leave Dhaka at around 6 pm.
It would be the first high-level visit by a head of government of any foreign country since the interim government led by Professor Muhammad Yunus assumed office after the fall of Awami League government on August 5.
Malaysia is going to be the next chair of ASEAN from January 2025, and the Rohingya issue will also be discussed.
"As a result, this visit is very important in terms of bilateral relations," said the Foreign Affairs Adviser.
This visit is expected to be considered as an expression of deepening bilateral relations and enduring friendship between Bangladesh and Malaysia, said the Adviser ahead of the visit.
In August this year, Prof Yunus invited him to undertake a short visit to Bangladesh as soon as possible to further strengthen the brotherly relationship between the two countries.
Malaysia is the 8th largest investor in Bangladesh.
In August, the Malaysian leader made a phone call to his old friend, Prof Muhammad Yunus, to congratulate him personally on his recent appointment as the chief adviser of the Interim government of Bangladesh.
Prof Yunus has long-standing good ties with Malaysia.
"Thus, I assured him that Malaysia stands ready to help and support the interim Government in rebuilding and restoring peace and security in Bangladesh," said the Malaysian PM.
At least seven Malaysian universities have Yunus Centres, promoting social business ideas he champions and his three-zero concepts.
Malaysian companies, including several owned by its sovereign funds, have invested more than $5 billion in Bangladesh and are now willing to invest more, including in education.
A second Malaysian car manufacturer has signed an agreement with a Chattogram-based company for distributing and assembling cars.
Malaysia says they could be a desired destination for medical tourism, saying the Bangladeshi people can avail essential medical treatment in the country at an affordable price.