Staff Reporter :
Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Thursday extended his heartfelt congratulations to former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad ahead of his 100th birthday, to be celebrated on July 10.
The meeting took place at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo on the sidelines of the Nikkei Forum: Future of Asia.
“I wish you a very happy 100th birthday in advance,” Professor Yunus told Mahathir, who served as Malaysia’s Prime Minister for a total of 24 years-from 1981 to 2003, and again from 2018 to 2020.
The two leaders, who share a decades-long friendship, engaged in a 40-minute discussion on matters of mutual interest, including Bangladesh’s bid to become a member of ASEAN and the ongoing Rohingya crisis.
Professor Yunus urged Mahathir to support Bangladesh’s application to become a sectoral dialogue partner of ASEAN, a step toward full membership.
He noted that Malaysia’s role as the current chair of the Southeast Asian bloc, and Mahathir’s legacy in shaping ASEAN’s strength, made his support particularly valuable.
The Chief Adviser also expressed gratitude for Malaysia’s long-standing support in employing hundreds of thousands of Bangladeshi workers across various sectors.
“In every village of Bangladesh, people know about Malaysia because they travel there for jobs,” he remarked.
Mahathir acknowledged the contributions of Bangladeshis in Malaysia, especially those who have successfully established businesses.
He encouraged Bangladesh to adopt a “Look East” policy similar to the one that had helped Malaysia prosper under his leadership.
Professor Yunus added that Bangladesh is also seeking to strengthen trade and bilateral relations with Indonesia, a country less familiar to the general public in Bangladesh compared to Malaysia.
On the humanitarian front, Professor Yunus requested Mahathir to use his influence in resolving the Rohingya crisis. He also extended an invitation to visit Bangladesh.
Mahathir responded positively to the invitation but noted that any travel would be contingent on approval from his physicians, given his current health limitations.
