Tap into opportunities in ‘New Bangladesh’: CA Yunus urges Malaysian businesses

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus today called on Malaysian investors to seize emerging opportunities in Bangladesh, assuring that the interim government has taken significant steps to make the country more business-friendly.

Speaking at a business forum on trade and investment opportunities between Bangladesh and Malaysia, Yunus said that economic progress in Bangladesh had previously fallen short of its potential. He insisted that in "New Bangladesh," the landscape is rapidly changing.

"Bangladesh is trying to become business-friendly in every possible way… I found an unlimited prospect in changing Bangladesh," the chief adviser said. "Bangladesh has young people, creative people," he added, urging Malaysian investors to tap into the talents of the vibrant Bangladeshi diaspora worldwide.

He noted that young Bangladeshis living abroad retain a strong eagerness to contribute to the country's development.

The event began with a presentation by Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun, Executive Chairman of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) and the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA). He highlighted the competitive advantages Bangladesh offers, alongside the government's ongoing efforts to remove tariff and non-tariff barriers for foreign investors.

Vivek Sood, CEO and Managing Director of Axiata Group -- the primary shareholder of mobile operator Robi -- showcased the company's 28 years of growth, partnership, and success in Bangladesh.

The audience included prominent Malaysian business leaders Tengku Muhammad Taufik, President and Group CEO of Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas); Amirul Feisal Wan Zahir, Managing Director of Sovereign Wealth Fund Khazanah Nasional; senior executives from palm oil giants Sime Darby Plantations, Kuala Lumpur Kepong Berhad (KLK), IOI Corporation, and Felda Global Ventures (FGV); Syed Faisal Albar, Chairman of Proton Holdings Berhad; and Lim Wee Chai, Executive Chairman of Top Glove Corporation.

The forum was preceded by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Putrajaya between the National Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (NCCIM) and the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), aimed at deepening bilateral trade and investment cooperation.