The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Kuala Lumpur

Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has appreciated the good working experience of Bangladeshi workforce, getting higher wages, but emphasized that they should be more respectful to the rules and regulations of the land.

He made the remarks during a bilateral meeting with Chief Advisor Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed on the sidelines of the D-summit at Hotel Hilton, CA' s press secretary Syed Fahim Munaim told reporters.

Responding to the host PM, Chief Advisor Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed said his government has already taken various steps to make Bangladeshi workforce skilled and conversant with the tricks of the trade. "Malaysian technical know-how and capital and Bangladeshi labour could make effective combination for a win-win situation for the two countries," the head of caretaker government said.

Dr Ahmed pointed out that now infrastructure development is important for Bangladesh and the government is giving priority to the task. The government is exploring ways of introducing mass transport system so that large number of people can move at a time and Malaysia can come and invest in this sector, he said.

Apart from D-8 cooperation, he said, bilateral trade facilities can be enhanced. Communications linkage is also important for increasing people-to-people contact. He mentioned higher frequency of air services between Dhaka and Kula Lumpur.

As the Chief Advisor said Bangladesh has taken a strong stand against terrorism, the Malaysian Prime Minister said, "None should compromise on terrorism." In this regard, Dr Ahmed said in last one and a half years, not a single bomb has been exploded nor a single bullet shot.

Badawi remarked that Bangladesh is comparatively peaceful than India and Pakistan in these times of disquiet.

Dr Ahmed mentioned that the meeting between the Foreign Advisor and the Malaysian Home Minister on manpower recruitment and how to resolve certain problems facing Bangladeshi workers was fruitful.

He thanked Badawi for excellent arrangement of the D-8 Summit, saying that Malaysia, at a crucial time, took the forum's leadership. He said roadmap on economic cooperation in the next decade would guide the economic cooperation and assured Bangladesh's support to the Malaysian leadership.