Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Chief Advisor, has called on Malaysia to issue multiple-entry visas for Bangladeshi workers employed in the country, enabling them to return home and re-enter Malaysia as needed without complications. This request was made during a courtesy meeting with Malaysian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Mohamad Suhaimi Jaafar Othman, at the State Guest House Jamuna on Monday.

Dr. Yunus raised the matter while emphasizing the need to provide solutions for the 18,000 Bangladeshi workers who were unable to enter Malaysia within the stipulated time last year. He urged the High Commissioner to address this issue promptly and facilitate their employment opportunities.

The High Commissioner mentioned that a joint technical committee meeting involving officials from Malaysia and Bangladesh was held in Kuala Lumpur on December 31. He further noted that another meeting of a similar nature was scheduled for Tuesday.

Reflecting on his discussion with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim during the latter's visit to Dhaka in October, Dr. Yunus expressed optimism that Malaysia would expedite the recruitment process, allowing the next group of Bangladeshi workers to finalize their plans for employment abroad.

Dr. Yunus extended his congratulations to Malaysia on assuming the ASEAN Chairmanship on January 1, 2025, and sought Malaysia’s support for Bangladesh’s aspirations to become an ASEAN Sectoral Dialogue Partner and eventually a full member.

Highlighting the upcoming international conference on the Rohingya crisis, scheduled for 2025 under the UN General Assembly Resolution 79/182, Dr. Yunus urged ASEAN's cooperation to address this humanitarian issue effectively.

The Chief Advisor encouraged the newly appointed Malaysian High Commissioner to attract more Malaysian investment to Bangladesh and to work on relocating Malaysian factories to the country. He emphasized the potential for strengthening economic ties and expressed hope for enhanced cooperation during the High Commissioner’s tenure.

Dr. Yunus also mentioned that Bangladesh is awaiting Malaysia’s proposal for a suitable date to participate in the Fourth Bilateral Consultation Mechanism (BCM) in Kuala Lumpur. He confirmed Bangladesh’s readiness to host the Fifth Joint Commission meeting at the Foreign Minister level in Dhaka in mid-2025.

The meeting was attended by Lamia Morshed, Senior Secretary on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), who provided additional insights into bilateral and multilateral cooperation opportunities between the two nations.