The relationship between Bangladesh and Malaysia is a very special one, and is poised to only get stronger in the near future.
To that end, it is good to see the acting Malaysian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Amir Farid bin Abu Hasan express an interest in exploring greater cooperation in trade, investment, and tourism between our two countries.
In many ways, the Malaysian economy serves as a positive example for Bangladesh, both nations have exhibited tremendous economic dynamism in the past two decades; Malaysia now serves as a shining example of prosperity and development, indeed, the Southeast Asian nation is a model for what is possible given the right kind of planning and investment in infrastructure.
A rise in the total trade with Malaysia would be a welcome development, as would an increase in foreign direct investment from Malaysia.
Going beyond economics, we must not ignore the strong cultural ties between the two countries; because of strong similarities in food, weather, and culture, Malaysia is a major tourist hotspot for Bangladeshis, with more than 150,000 Bangladeshis travelling to Malaysia last year.
Most importantly though, it is possible that Malaysia could be a crucial partner in helping resolve the Rohingya crisis -- two years ago, when the first wave of refugee arrived at our borders, Malaysia was one of the first countries to respond to our call for assistance.
After the failure of Saarc to be a useful cooperative union, it makes sense for Bangladesh to look east for more fruitful partnerships, and in this regard, Malaysia promises to be a reliable and valuable friend.
