Bangladesh and Malaysia have agreed to advance negotiations on a bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA), with the objective of concluding the agreement by 2027. The commitment was announced in a joint statement issued following Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s official visit to Malaysia and bilateral talks with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in Putrajaya. Both countries also agreed to resume the Joint Commission Meeting and strengthen cooperation in trade, investment, labour, energy, digital technology, defence, and education.
The two sides identified telecommunications, energy, infrastructure, ports and logistics, halal industries, agro-processing, digital economy, semiconductor manufacturing, smart industries, and skills development as priority sectors for collaboration. They welcomed progress toward establishing a Malaysia-Bangladesh Joint Business Council and agreed to enhance cooperation in artificial intelligence, fintech, cybersecurity, digital governance, and semiconductor-related industries. Malaysia was encouraged to increase investments in Bangladesh’s technology parks, digital infrastructure, and special economic zones, while both countries explored frameworks for training Bangladeshi engineering talent.
In addition, Bangladesh invited Malaysian companies to participate in oil and gas exploration projects in the Bay of Bengal, renewable energy initiatives, and mineral extraction opportunities. The two countries also agreed to review their existing labour memorandum of understanding through a Joint Working Group and develop a new framework for worker migration. Malaysia reiterated support for Bangladesh’s ASEAN Sectoral Dialogue Partner aspirations and its interest in joining the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), while both governments pledged to deepen defence cooperation, counterterrorism collaboration, and educational exchanges.