Bangladesh PM urges Malaysia to reopen labor market, pursue FTA

Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has called on Malaysia to expedite the reopening of its labor market and increase recruitment of Bangladeshi workers. Speaking at a joint press conference with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim following bilateral talks in Putrajaya, Rahman emphasized the significant role Bangladeshi workers, students, and professionals play in bridging the two nations.

"Bangladeshi workers, students, professionals and entrepreneurs in Malaysia serve as an important bridge between our two countries. Their contributions benefit both our economies and societies," Rahman stated. He specifically requested that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim consider recruiting more Bangladeshi workers and opening the labor market as soon as possible.

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Bangladeshi workers, students, professionals and entrepreneurs in Malaysia serve as an important bridge between our two countries. Their contributions benefit both our economies and societies.

During the discussions, Rahman also raised concerns regarding the regularization of undocumented Bangladeshi workers currently in Malaysia and the potential repatriation of detained Bangladeshi nationals. Both leaders agreed that the process of worker recruitment should be transparent, fair, and affordable, with a reduction in intermediaries and lower migration costs.

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I requested His Excellency Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to consider recruiting more Bangladeshi workers, as well as to open the labour market as soon as possible.

The bilateral meeting, held at the Malaysian Prime Minister's office, reaffirmed commitments to strengthening Bangladesh-Malaysia relations. The leaders agreed to enhance engagement through existing frameworks, including the Joint Commission Meeting and bilateral consultations between their foreign ministries. They welcomed the growth in bilateral trade and confirmed their agreement to proceed with negotiations for a Bangladesh-Malaysia Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

Prime Minister Rahman noted the warm relationship between the two countries, mentioning that Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was among the first to congratulate him after he assumed office in February. He expressed his delight at being in Malaysia for his first foreign visit as prime minister, highlighting that their friendship is founded on mutual trust, shared values, and strong people-to-people ties. The delegation included several ministers and senior officials from Bangladesh.

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We have discussed bilateral cooperation and exchanged views on regional and international developments. Today, we reaffirm our commitment to strengthening Bangladesh-Malaysia relations.