Bangladesh and Malaysia Sign Multiple MoUs and Notes of Exchange to Boost Bilateral Ties
Bangladesh has signed five Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and three Notes of Exchange with Malaysia, covering sectors including information and communication technology, in a ceremony held in Putrajaya following a bilateral meeting between the Chief Adviser of Bangladesh’s interim government, Professor Muhammad Yunus, and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. The signing took place on Tuesday morning, 12 August.
Among the five significant MoUs, the fourth focused on cooperation in ICT and commercial connectivity. The agreement was signed between MIMOS Services Sdn Bhd of Malaysia and the Bangladesh-Malaysia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BMCCI). Mohammad Fauzi Yahaya, Chief Executive Officer of MIMOS Services, and Shabbir Ahmed Khan, representing BMCCI, signed the MoU.
A post on the Chief Adviser’s verified Facebook page, shortly before 9:30 a.m. Bangladesh time (11:30 a.m. in Malaysia), announced the signing of the MoUs and Notes of Exchange.
The first Note of Exchange was on cooperation in higher education. It was signed by Malaysia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dato’ Seri Utama Haji Mohamad bin Haji Hasan, and Bangladesh’s Adviser for Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, Asif Nazrul.
The second Note of Exchange, focused on the development of diplomatic training and the exchange of expertise, was signed by Mohamad bin Haji Hasan and Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Adviser, Md. Touhid Hossain.
The third Note of Exchange dealt with the halal ecosystem, aiming to enhance mutual cooperation in the halal industry. It was signed by Senator Dr. Zulkifli bin Hasan, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department of Malaysia, and Chowdhury Ashiq Mahmud bin Harun, Executive Chairman of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA).
The first of the five MoUs was on defence cooperation, signed by Malaysia’s Minister of Defence, Dato’ Seri Mohamad Khaled bin Nordin, and Md. Touhid Hossain of Bangladesh.
The second MoU addressed joint cooperation in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) sector, petroleum products, related infrastructure, and the energy sector. It was signed by Malaysia’s Acting Minister of Economy, Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah bin Azizan, and Bangladesh’s Energy Adviser, M. Faozul Kabir Khan.
The third MoU focused on mutual cooperation between Malaysia’s Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) and Bangladesh’s Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS). It was signed by Datuk Professor Dr. Mohd Faiz Abdullah, Chairman of ISIS Malaysia, and Md. Shameem Ahsan, Bangladesh’s High Commissioner to Malaysia.
The fifth and final MoU aimed at expanding bilateral trade and investment cooperation between Malaysia’s National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCIM) and Bangladesh’s Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI). It was signed by NCCIM President Dato’ Seri N. Gobalakrishnan and FBCCI Administrator Md. Hafizur Rahman.
