Key facts
- Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is visiting Malaysia and China.
- The trip aims to attract investment, boost overseas employment, and strengthen foreign policy.
- Discussions with China will focus on infrastructure financing, trade, and the Teesta River project.
- Bangladesh seeks to sign 15-17 bilateral instruments with China.
- A $340 million infrastructure project for the Chinese Economic and Industrial Zone in Chittagong is backed by Chinese loans.
- Discussions with Malaysia will focus on labor migration and economic cooperation.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is undertaking his first overseas trip since assuming office, with visits to Malaysia and China. The six-day tour aims to attract foreign investment, boost overseas employment, and signal the administration's foreign policy direction. Rahman will first travel to Kuala Lumpur to meet with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, followed by a three-day official visit to China at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang.
Key objectives for the China visit include signing 15-17 bilateral instruments and discussing the Teesta River project. Rahman is scheduled to meet Premier Li on June 25 and President Xi Jinping on June 26. He will also attend the World Economic Forum's Summer Davos Forum in Dalian. Bangladesh seeks to deepen ties with China, a major trading partner and financier, and has recently approved a significant infrastructure project in Chittagong backed by Chinese loans, expected to create substantial jobs and attract foreign direct investment.
In Malaysia, discussions are anticipated to center on labor migration and economic cooperation, as Malaysia is a key destination for Bangladeshi workers whose remittances are vital for the country's foreign exchange. The trip also carries diplomatic weight, balancing partnerships amid ongoing, albeit improved, relations with India. Analysts note the visits are as much economic as diplomatic, with China crucial for investment and Malaysia for employment.