Bangladesh Aims To Shift Image From Labour Supplier To Strategic Partner With Malaysia, Says High Commissioner

By Naveen Prabu Kuppusamy

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 9 (Bernama) -- Bangladesh aims to move beyond its image as merely a source of migrant labor for Malaysia and is focused on establishing itself as a strategic partner across multiple sectors, according to Bangladesh High Commissioner to Malaysia, Md. Shameem Ahsan.

In an exclusive interview on Bernama TV’s programme The Nation, Ahsan said that one of his main priorities is to reshape the narrative surrounding Bangladesh-Malaysia relationship.

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“The common perception regarding our bilateral relationship is that Bangladesh primarily sends workers and that this defines our relationship, and while I don’t deny that this is partly true, but it does not reflect the full picture of our partnership.

“We have significant engagements in other areas, such as technology, the blue economy, science and innovation, and climate science, as well as very potential areas for collaboration like connectivity, education, tourism, culture, manufacturing, and agriculture, and we remain committed to shifting our relationship towards these sectors,” he said.

He highlighted that both countries have enjoyed longstanding ties since Malaysia became the first Southeast Asian nation to recognise Bangladesh’s independence in 1972.

”The partnership has since deepened, particularly in trade and investment, with Malaysia being Bangladesh’s eighth-largest global investor,” he said. 

In discussing future prospects, Ahsan pointed out that Bangladesh is actively pushing for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Malaysia.

”Although progress had been made, both sides need to expedite efforts for the FTA’s finalisation. Signing an FTA would be a win-win situation for both countries as it would not only enhance trade but also expand opportunities in sectors such as education and healthcare,” he said. 

On the topic of migrant workers, Ahsan reassured that the recent political transition in Bangladesh, under interim Prime Minister Muhammad Yunus, would not disrupt the labour supply to Malaysia. He emphasised that the government is committed to maintaining economic stability and honouring existing bilateral agreements, including those related to labour migration.

Looking ahead, Ahsan also expressed hope that Malaysia, which is set to assume the ASEAN chairmanship in 2025, would continue to support Bangladesh’s bid to become an ASEAN sectoral dialogue partner.

“I believe that during Malaysia’s chairmanship of ASEAN, we will witness important developments, along with advancements in trade, investment, science, innovation, technology, tourism, and education.

"A major issue for Bangladesh is the Rohingya crisis, with the country hosting 1.1 million Rohingya refugees for an extended period, and as Malaysia assumes the ASEAN chairmanship it will be better positioned to increase pressure on Myanmar to repartriate its nationals from Bangladesh."

Meanwhile, after the TV programme Md. Shameem was asked on the attacks on non-Muslim minorities in Bangladesh after the recent student uprising in the country that ended Sheikh Hasina’s tenure as the country’s prime minister.

The High Commissioner replied they were largely politically motivated rather than driven by religious extremism.

“In every country, there are inevitably some bad elements, and while I acknowledge that attacks occurred, statistics and information show that even Muslims were also targeted.

He said that the Chief Advisor for the Interim Government of Bangladesh, Prof Muhammad Yunus, visited minority groups and the largest temple in Dhaka, met with all the minority leaders, including Hindu leaders, and assured them that everything possible would be done to ensure their safety and security.

 He further said that Bangladesh remains a secular country, despite its Muslim majority, and the government is actively working to ensure peace and security for all communities.

Since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government, over 200 incidents of violence have been reported across the country, with both national and international organisations expressing concern over the safety of minority communities.

-- BERNAMA