DHAKA: Malaysia will give major consideration to the applications of Bangladeshi workers who missed opportunities due to political developments in their country, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He said the Bangladeshi government had appealed to Malaysia about the possibility of increasing the intake of workers and professionals from the country.
"I will certainly give this major consideration, and at least the first phase, subject to all conditions being met, can be implemented as soon as possible," he said during a joint press conference with the Chief Advisor of Bangladesh's Interim Government, Dr Muhammad Yunus, following a bilateral meeting here today.
Anwar is on a one-day visit, the first by a foreign head of government to Bangladesh since the formation of the interim government led by Muhammad, a Nobel laureate.
On investment, Anwar stressed that both countries should prioritise supporting investing firms, ensuring that any issues were addressed swiftly and transparently.
"In Malaysia, our focus is on governance, anti-corruption, and economic fundamentals. We do not compromise on these because we do not want political leaders to amass wealth or enrich themselves, their families, or their cronies," he said.
"Therefore, while we want Malaysian companies operating here (in Bangladesh) to be given adequate consideration, I will not compromise on issues of transparency and due diligence in the process," he added.
The Prime Minister also mentioned that both countries are looking at enhancing collaboration in higher education, agriculture, the halal economy, and the semiconductor industry.
"We can fast-track negotiations and trade arrangements, but the key priority is holding the joint commission meeting as soon as possible," he said.
Meanwhile, Muhammad said Dhaka is looking forward to holding the joint commission meeting early next year to boost bilateral trade.
"Future areas of collaboration could include finance, sovereign funds, pension funds, private equity funds, healthcare, education, data sciences, and AI," he said.-- BERNAMA