UNB, Dhaka :
Bangladesh and Malaysia are considering Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s December 2-4 visit to Malaysia as an
opportunity to bolster bilateral ties on all fronts going beyond manpower export, officials said.
Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to leave here for Malaysia on December 2 on a three-day visit at the invitation of her Malaysian counterpart. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak extended the invitation during his visit to Dhaka in November 2013.
A number of MoUs that include visa exemption for diplomatic and official passport holders, cultural cooperation; and promotion of tourism are expected to be signed during the visit, a Foreign Ministry official here told UNB on Sunday.
Bangladesh Cabinet has, meanwhile, approved the proposal for signing a protocol amending the existing ‘Memorandum of Understanding on the Employment of Workers’ between Bangladesh and Malaysia aimed at allowing Bangladeshi citizens to work outside the mainland of Malaysia.
“This will also be signed,” another Foreign Ministry official said wishing not to be quoted.
According diplomatic sources in Dhaka and Kuala Lumpur, Bangladesh will try to convince Malaysia for expediting manpower recruitment from Bangladesh as the recruitment process remains very slow.
Dhaka and Kuala Lumpur signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) over recruitment of workers through G-to-G process in November, 2012, aiming to reduce migration cost as well as malpractices by dishonest manpower recruiters.
Bilateral trade and investment issues will also come up in a ‘big way’ during the visit.
Malaysia’s investment in Bangladesh is now concentrated on energy and telecommunications sectors, and Malaysia thinks the involvement of Malaysian companies in Bangladesh can be further expanded.
On November 14, Malaysian Deputy Minister for International Trade and Industry Dato Lee Chee Leong said several areas like infrastructure, power generation, telecommunications, education and hospitality have potentials for Malaysian involvement and investment in Bangladesh.
Malaysian Youth and Sports Minister YB Encik Khairy Jamaluddin has said his country wants to play a part in Bangladesh’s ‘next chapter’ development success story.
“This is a new Bangladesh which has demonstrated that it is ready to bring growth to the next level. Bangladesh deserves it. Malaysia wants to play a part in your next chapter success stories,” he said while addressing a function in Kuala Lumpur on November 15.
He said, time has come to come out from the tendency of looking Bangladesh-Malaysia relationship through a very small and narrow definition. “If we continue to frame our relationship in a traditional way, we think we’ll miss the wonderful and lucrative opportunities that exist between the two countries.”
Jamaluddin observed that relationships within diplomatic and political level are not enough and it needs to be spread to all levels.
Bangladesh and Malaysia are considering Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s December 2-4 visit to Malaysia as an
opportunity to bolster bilateral ties on all fronts going beyond manpower export, officials said.
Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to leave here for Malaysia on December 2 on a three-day visit at the invitation of her Malaysian counterpart. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak extended the invitation during his visit to Dhaka in November 2013.
A number of MoUs that include visa exemption for diplomatic and official passport holders, cultural cooperation; and promotion of tourism are expected to be signed during the visit, a Foreign Ministry official here told UNB on Sunday.
Bangladesh Cabinet has, meanwhile, approved the proposal for signing a protocol amending the existing ‘Memorandum of Understanding on the Employment of Workers’ between Bangladesh and Malaysia aimed at allowing Bangladeshi citizens to work outside the mainland of Malaysia.
“This will also be signed,” another Foreign Ministry official said wishing not to be quoted.
According diplomatic sources in Dhaka and Kuala Lumpur, Bangladesh will try to convince Malaysia for expediting manpower recruitment from Bangladesh as the recruitment process remains very slow.
Dhaka and Kuala Lumpur signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) over recruitment of workers through G-to-G process in November, 2012, aiming to reduce migration cost as well as malpractices by dishonest manpower recruiters.
Bilateral trade and investment issues will also come up in a ‘big way’ during the visit.
Malaysia’s investment in Bangladesh is now concentrated on energy and telecommunications sectors, and Malaysia thinks the involvement of Malaysian companies in Bangladesh can be further expanded.
On November 14, Malaysian Deputy Minister for International Trade and Industry Dato Lee Chee Leong said several areas like infrastructure, power generation, telecommunications, education and hospitality have potentials for Malaysian involvement and investment in Bangladesh.
Malaysian Youth and Sports Minister YB Encik Khairy Jamaluddin has said his country wants to play a part in Bangladesh’s ‘next chapter’ development success story.
“This is a new Bangladesh which has demonstrated that it is ready to bring growth to the next level. Bangladesh deserves it. Malaysia wants to play a part in your next chapter success stories,” he said while addressing a function in Kuala Lumpur on November 15.
He said, time has come to come out from the tendency of looking Bangladesh-Malaysia relationship through a very small and narrow definition. “If we continue to frame our relationship in a traditional way, we think we’ll miss the wonderful and lucrative opportunities that exist between the two countries.”
Jamaluddin observed that relationships within diplomatic and political level are not enough and it needs to be spread to all levels.
