Bangladesh and Malaysia have agreed to closely work together for a permanent solution to the protracted problem of irregular movement of people.
Both countries have discussed in details the root cause of the irregular movement of people due to the continuous persecution of Rohingya ethnic minority people being carried out in the Rakhaine state of Myanmar.
The issue came up for discussion at a meeting between Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali and his Malaysian counterpart Dato’ Anifah Haji Aman at Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday, the Foreign Ministry here said yesterday.
The foreign minister is on a two-day visit to Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur in connection with the 22nd Asean Regional Forum (ARF) Foreign Ministers’ meeting.
Mahmood Ali also met the foreign minister of Norway, state ministers for foreign affairs of Japan and India, and discussed various bilateral and regional issues on Wednesday.
The Malaysian foreign minister expressed his deep satisfaction at the existing friendly bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Malaysia, and hoped that the relations would further be strengthened in the years to come.
The Bangladesh foreign minister thanked his Malaysian counterpart for his help and assistance for the repatriation of the irregular migrants of Bangladesh.
Dato’ Anifah Haji Aman also thanked Mahmood Ali for taking quick action on taking back its Bangladeshi nationals.
The two also discussed the status of recruitment of Bangladeshi workers on both G2G and B2B bases, and felt the need for taking more positive measures to smoothen the process.
Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Brende highly praised economic development and social progress of Bangladesh, especially attaining the MDG goals under the able and dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Brende showed keen interest in Bangladesh’s relations with its neighbours and the role of Bangladesh in bringing shared prosperity within the region.