Chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Thursday urged former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad to help Bangladesh in its bid to become a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
He made the call during a bilateral meeting between the two leaders on the sidelines of the Nikkei Forum: 30th Future of Asia.
Briefing reporters on the outcome of the meeting, chief adviser鈥檚 press secretary Shafiqul Alam said that since Bangladesh was聽 actively seeking ASEAN membership, the chief adviser requested Mahathir Mohamad to look into the matter applying his reputation.
Mahathir assured that he would always remain a friend of Bangladesh and pledged his support in Bangladesh鈥檚 efforts to secure ASEAN membership, he said.
Shafiqul said that the two leaders discussed several other matters, including the Rohingya crisis.
Since Mahathir will turn 100 years old on July 10, the chief adviser wished him an advance 鈥楬appy Birthday鈥� and conveyed his birthday wishes.
鈥業 wish you a very happy 100th birthday in advance,鈥� the chief adviser told Mahathir, who served as Malaysian PM for 24 years from 1981 to 2003 and again from 2018 to 2020.
The press secretary said that the two leaders also discussed the historic mass uprising of Bangladesh. They talked about the professionalism and sincerity of Bangladeshis working around the world, which helped Bangladesh earn a solid reputation globally.
Professor Yunus invited Mahathir to visit Bangladesh at a time convenient for him.
Meanwhile, Professor Yunus called upon the Japan International Cooperation Agency to bolster its support for the Moheshkhali-Matarbari Integrated Development Initiative, aiming to transform the region into a pivotal engine for Bangladesh鈥檚 future economic growth.
He made the request during a meeting with JICA president Tanaka Akihiko on the sidelines of the 鈥�30th Nikkei Forum: Future of Asia鈥�, held at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo.
鈥楾he MIDI region represents the future of Bangladesh. With access to the Bay of Bengal, we are developing deep-sea ports, highways, and railway links to connect the MIDI region with Nepal, Bhutan, and other parts of South Asia,鈥� Yunus said.
鈥極ur vision includes building a megacity in the region,鈥� he said, noting that airports were also being upgraded to accommodate increased travel demands.
Tanaka reaffirmed JICA鈥檚 commitment to the MIDI development but emphasised the need for accelerated decision-making to expedite project implementation.
Tanaka remarked that the first time he had heard a Bangladeshi leader discuss deep-sea fishing initiatives.
The two leaders also discussed Bangladesh鈥檚 reform agenda following the July uprisings, the country鈥檚 democratic transition, and the interim government鈥檚 anti-corruption efforts.
Additionally, the Rohingya crisis was discussed, with the chief adviser seeking increased JICA support for humanitarian responses.
Tanaka expressed JICA鈥檚 willingness to participate in international efforts addressing the Rohingya crisis.
Professor Yunus arrived in Tokyo on Wednesday afternoon to attend the 30th Nikkei Forum: Future of Asia and hold bilateral talks with Japanese prime minister Shigeru Ishiba.
