Malaysia on Monday assured it would look after the Bangladeshi workers so they do not face adverse situation there.
The assurance came from visiting Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Bin Razak during a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). The two leaders led their respective country’s delegations at the meeting.
“Our government will look after the Bangladeshi workers so that they do not have to face any hassle in Malaysia,” the Malaysian Prime Minister told the bilateral meeting. He stressed on government to government dialogue for the welfare of Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia.
Razak said Malaysia needs more workers and Bangladesh could be a good source for it, reports UNB.
Calling the Dhaka-Kuala Lumpur ties as very good, he said that in future, the ties will strengthen further.
Talking about more investment in various sectors of Bangladesh, he said the Malaysian businessmen are very keen to invest in Bangladesh. “They are looking potential sectors to invest in Bangladesh.”
Razak wished success of Bangladesh Prime Minster in the upcoming general election and the continuation of the democratic process in the country.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina urged Malaysia to invest more in Bangladesh in various sectors including power sector for mutual benefit of the two peoples.
Mentioning that Bangladesh has one of the most investment-friendly policies in South Asia, she welcomed Malaysian investment in attractive sectors like power, telecommunications, urea fertiliser plants, infrastructure development and cement production.
Hasina said: “I’m happy that our two governments are negotiating to construct a 1320 MW coal-based power plant in Cox’s Bazar. I welcome more investment from Malaysia for this sector.”
She sought more Malaysian engagements for building of bridges and highways on build, own, operate and transfer basis.
Prime Minister’s press secretary Abul Kalam Azad briefed the reporters after the meeting.
The Prime Minister also urged the Malaysian government to recruit more workers from Bangladesh.
“We’ve developed a pool of semi-skilled and skilled workforce ready to work in any area of the economy. I would request you to kindly consider them when recruiting for the development activities (in Malaysia),” she said.
Talking about the Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia, Hasina said that these Bangladeshi workers are contributing to the socioeconomic transformation of both the countries.
She thanked the Malaysian government for regularising more than half of them under the 6-P Programme and for resuming the employment for Bangladesh nationals.
She also urged the Malayasian government to remove non-tariff barriers in importing goods from Bangladesh by Malaysian businessmen.
The Prime Minister said removal of such non-tariff barriers would enhance market for quality Bangladeshi products like RMG, jute goods, leather and leather goods, footwear and ceramic products in Malaysia.
She said the friendship between the two brotherly countries continued to grow stronger by the day with increasing cooperation in many spheres of socio-economic relations of the two peoples.
Mentioning Bangladesh and Malaysia as liberal Muslim countries with common religious and cultural ethos, Hasina said both the countries are characterized by religious and social tolerance and cultural cohesion.
She said Bangladesh strongly believes in regional cooperation and is playing an important role in promoting economic integration among SAARC, D-8 and BIMSTEC member states. “Bangladesh could be a gateway of cooperation between SAARC and ASEAN countries.”
Meanwhile at a separate meeting, Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid urged the Malaysian government to recruit more manpower, especially skilled ones, from Bangladesh, saying they would contribute to the economies of both the countries.
He made the call when visiting Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Bin Razak paid a courtesy call on him at Bangabhaban.
Hamid expressed his happiness over the resumption of recruiting Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia under a government-to-government mechanism that reduces migration cost.
The Malaysian Prime Minister emphasised on increasing people-to-people contact between Bangladesh and Malaysia for further strengthening the cooperation between the two countries.
