HYDERABAD, Nov 4 – Malaysia and Bangladesh have held high-level discussions aimed at bolstering bilateral cooperation across trade, Islamic banking, employment, and regional economic integration.
The bilateral meeting took place on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, on the sidelines of the 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda. Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan led the Malaysian delegation alongside Bangladesh’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir.
According to a statement issued on Wednesday by Malaysia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Wisma Putra) via social media, both nations explored new avenues of collaboration while reaffirming their brotherly bilateral relationship.
“The two sides discussed strengthening cooperation in employment and manpower, Islamic banking, and bilateral relations, alongside Bangladesh’s interest in closer engagement with ASEAN,” Wisma Putra stated. “Malaysia looks forward to taking this close and brotherly relationship to greater heights through stronger ties and new avenues of cooperation.”
In a separate statement, Bangladesh’s Foreign Ministry highlighted that the discussion expanded bilateral engagement beyond migrant worker welfare to encompass trade, direct investment, and the expedited conclusion of a bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
The first round of Malaysia-Bangladesh FTA negotiations took place in Dhaka in October 2026, with both nations scheduling the second round of bilateral trade talks for January 2027.
Mohamad Hasan is currently representing Malaysia at the CHOGM summit in Antigua and Barbuda, which runs from November 1 to 4, 2026.
Bilateral Trade Objectives, Negotiating Schedule, and Sectoral Priorities
Key diplomatic outcomes, trade talks schedules, and priority areas include:
- Key Focus Areas: Employment and manpower management, Islamic banking, bilateral investment, and Bangladesh-ASEAN partnership aspirations.
- Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Roadmap: Round 1 completed in Dhaka in October 2026; Round 2 scheduled for January 2027.
- Diplomatic Summit Context: Bilateral talks held during CHOGM 2026 (Nov 1–4) in St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda.
- Lead Representatives: Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan (Malaysia) and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir (Bangladesh).
–NMT
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