PM Tarique Rahman Urges Malaysia to Reopen Labor Market

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman today strongly urged the Malaysian government to reopen its labor market at the earliest opportunity and scale up the recruitment of Bangladeshi workers. The call was made during a joint press conference alongside Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at the Malaysian Prime Minister’s Office in Putrajaya.

The press briefing followed high-level, summit-level talks between the two leaders on the concluding day of the Prime Minister’s maiden two-day official foreign visit since assuming office on February 17, 2026.

Reforming Manpower Recruitment and Protecting Migrant Welfare

The restructuring of labor recruitment mechanisms emerged as a central theme of the bilateral talks. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman emphasized that the future of labor migration between the two nations must center on cost reduction and institutional accountability.

“I requested His Excellency Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to consider recruiting more Bangladeshi workers, as well as to open the labor market as soon as possible. We agree that recruitment should be transparent, fair, and affordable, reducing intermediaries and lowering costs for workers.” — Tarique Rahman, Prime Minister

The Prime Minister also raised critical issues regarding the regularization of undocumented Bangladeshi workers currently inside Malaysia, alongside requesting the safe repatriation of detained nationals where feasible. He praised the Bangladeshi diaspora—including workers, students, and entrepreneurs—as vital pillars contributing to the socio-economic landscapes of both countries.

Investment Drives and Free Trade Agreements

Highlighting the definitive democratic mandate received by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in the February 2026 parliamentary elections, the Prime Minister noted that his administration has successfully restored political stability. He extended a warm invitation to Malaysian conglomerates to invest in Bangladesh's newly optimized, business-friendly environment.

The comprehensive bilateral brief covered extensive high-value sectors, including:

• Technology & Manufacturing: ICT, digital economy, and semiconductors.

• Infrastructure & Energy: Commercial power corridors and structural engineering projects.

• Agriculture & Commerce: The global halal trade and specialized agro-processing industries.

• Human Capital: Higher education, technical skills training, and institutional defense cooperation.

The two leaders welcomed the upward trajectory of bilateral trade volumes and officially committed to fast-tracking technical negotiations for the proposed Bangladesh-Malaysia Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to balance import-export structures.

Regional Integration and Multilateral Alignments

Shifting to regional geopolitics, Dhaka sought Kuala Lumpur’s active diplomatic backing for deeper integration within Southeast Asian economic networks. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman stated that Bangladesh is actively seeking to become a Sectoral Dialogue Partner of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and aims to join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the world’s largest free trade bloc.

The Prime Minister also expressed deep concern over the protracted Rohingya refugee crisis, thanking Malaysia for its consistent diplomatic support toward their safe, dignified, and sustainable repatriation to Myanmar. Furthermore, he extended gratitude to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for endorsing Bangladesh’s high-profile candidacy for the Presidency of the upcoming 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

A Multigenerational Bilateral Legacy

Concluding his address, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman recalled that one of the very first congratulatory calls he received upon taking office in February was from Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who extended the official invitation for this tour.

He highlighted the deep historical lineage of Bangladesh-Malaysia relations, noting that his father, Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman, visited Malaysia in April 1979 to establish the foundation for labor cooperation. He similarly recalled his mother, Begum Khaleda Zia, visiting Malaysia as Prime Minister in 1993 to significantly widen bilateral frameworks.

Before departing Putrajaya, the Prime Minister witnessed the exchange of newly signed bilateral cooperation agreements and formally invited Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to visit Bangladesh at a mutually convenient time.