Kuala lumpur: Malaysia and Bangladesh have pledged to fully operationalize their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Defence Cooperation, aiming to expand strategic collaboration in military science, technical expertise, and defence industry partnerships. The commitment was made during discussions between Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, who praised the longstanding defence relationship between the two nations, underscored by regular high-level military visits and personnel training programs.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, a joint statement issued by the Foreign Ministry highlighted that the leaders anticipate the convening of the bilateral Joint Committee on Defence Cooperation (JCDC) to establish a structured defence roadmap. The statement emphasized the importance of enhancing defence capabilities through courses and training programs, including mutual seat allocations at their respective National Defence Colleges and Command and Staff Colleges.
The joint statement further noted that both nations are committed to supporting United Nations peacekeeping operations through joint tactical exercises, pre-deployment training collaboration, and the exchange of expertise to address global security challenges. Additionally, the leaders reaffirmed their dedication to combating terrorism and violent extremism through intelligence sharing, capacity-building initiatives, and training programs.
Beyond defence, the joint statement outlined plans to strengthen educational cooperation, focusing on University-to-University partnerships and joint research programs, particularly in technical and vocational education (TVET). The presence of approximately 11,000 Bangladeshi students in Malaysia was acknowledged for their positive academic and socio-economic contributions.
Both sides also expressed enthusiasm for expanding tourism collaboration, especially with the upcoming 'Visit Malaysia 2026' (VM2026) and 'Malaysia Year of Medical Tourism 2026' (MYMT2026) initiatives. Malaysia extended a warm invitation to Bangladeshi tourists, with both leaders agreeing to enhance tourism promotion and cultural exchanges between the countries.