Malaysian Higher Education Minister Dr. Zambry Abdul Kadir has reaffirmed Malaysia's commitment to supporting Bangladesh on multiple fronts, including efforts to address the Rohingya humanitarian crisis and advocating for Bangladesh's inclusion as a sectoral dialogue partner in ASEAN.
Dr. Zambry conveyed this during a meeting with Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus at the St. Regis Hotel in Cairo on (December 18) as reported by Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS). The discussions occurred on the sidelines of the Chief Adviser’s two-day state visit to Egypt, where he attended the 11th D-8 Summit.
Egypt's Minister of the Public Business Sector, Mohamed Shimi, greeted Chief Adviser Yunus upon his arrival in Cairo on December 17 at 11 a.m. local time. Yunus and Shimi also had a quick meeting earlier in the day to talk about bilateral issues.
During his conversation with Dr. Zambry, Yunus highlighted the ongoing challenges faced by Bangladesh, particularly the recent surge of over 80,000 Rohingyas fleeing violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine state. Yunus emphasized the need for an international conference on the crisis and called for the establishment of a United Nations-supervised safe zone in Rakhine to provide security and aid for displaced individuals.
Dr. Zambry and Yunus also discussed opportunities to strengthen ties between their nations, focusing on workforce recruitment, higher education collaboration, and expanding mutual interests. Dr. Zambry expressed optimism about building closer relations between Malaysia and Bangladesh.
The D-8 Summit, themed “Investing in Youth and Supporting SMEs: Shaping Tomorrow’s Economy,” holds particular significance for Bangladesh. Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder noted that the Chief Adviser has consistently advocated for empowering youth and fostering their potential. The summit provides a platform to amplify this message on a global scale.
In addition to attending the summit, Yunus is expected to engage in bilateral meetings with leaders from D-8 member states, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. He will also deliver a lecture at Egypt’s prestigious Al-Azhar University, an invitation extended by Grand Imam Ahmed El-Tayeb during a previous meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan.
This week marks a crucial period for the D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation as leaders gather for the 48th D-8 Commission Meeting, the 21st Council of Ministers Meeting, and the 11th Summit. These events aim to strengthen economic cooperation and promote sustainable development among the member nations: Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Turkey.
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