Bangladesh will collaborate with Malaysia to investigate allegations of militancy against Bangladeshi nationals recently arrested by Malaysian police.
This was announced by Bangladesh Foreign Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain today following a bilateral meeting with Malaysian Foreign Minister Dato Haji Mohamad Bin Haji Hasan in Kuala Lumpur.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 32nd ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Ministerial Meeting.
Foreign Adviser Hossain conveyed his concern regarding the arrests of Bangladeshi nationals on terrorism charges.
He reaffirmed the Bangladesh government's strong stance against terrorism and sought Malaysia's cooperation in its own investigation into these allegations through the exchange of information and findings.
In response, the Malaysian Foreign Minister assured that Bangladesh authorities would be granted access and cooperation.
Broader Diplomatic Engagements
Earlier in the day, Foreign Adviser Hossain met with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy.
Their discussions covered a range of bilateral, regional, and multilateral issues, including ongoing reforms in Bangladesh, the Rohingya crisis, and support following Bangladesh's graduation from Least Developed Country (LDC) status.
The Foreign Adviser also held separate meetings with Winston Peters, the Foreign Minister of New Zealand; Hon. Vijitha Herath, the Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka; and Park Yoonjoo, the Vice Minister and Head of Delegation of the Republic of Korea.
A wide array of bilateral and multilateral issues were discussed during these engagements.
Bangladesh's Role in ARF
Bangladesh, which became a member of the ARF in 2006, plays an active role in the forum established in the early nineties to promote confidence and trust among its 27 Asia-Pacific members.
Currently, Bangladesh is co-chairing two of ARF's priority areas: "Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime" and "Disaster Relief."
The next ARF Ministerial Meeting is scheduled for 2026 in Manila.
In the afternoon, Foreign Adviser Hossain delivered Bangladesh's national statement at the ARF Ministerial Meeting.
He called for increased attention to the Rohingya crisis, highlighting its implications for national and regional security.
He also urged ASEAN members to positively consider Bangladesh's bid to become a Sectoral Dialogue Partner.
Foreign Adviser Hossain was accompanied by Md. Shameem Ahsan, Bangladesh's High Commissioner to Malaysia; Md. Forhadul Islam, Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and other senior officials from the Bangladesh government.
