KL to take care of workers’ problems

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Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Bin Haji Ahmad Badawi has assured Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed of looking into the problems the Bangladeshi workers have been facing in Malaysia.

Badawi gave the assurance during a bilateral meeting with the chief adviser on the sidelines of the 62nd UN General Assembly session at UN headquarters Wednesday afternoon.

The Malaysian prime minister said Bangladeshi workers are welcome in Malaysia. But both the governments should work together to ensure that each worker is in possession of legal documents, he added.

Foreign and Expatriates’ Welfare Affairs Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury informed the two leaders that Bangladesh is awaiting a visit from the Malaysian home minister to hold detailed discussions to address the problems.

Prime Minister Badawi said he will ensure that the discussions take place soon.

Briefing reporters on the meeting, Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Syed Fahim Munaim said the head of the caretaker government sought more investment from Malaysia, saying that present conditions in Bangladesh are appropriate for foreign investment.

Both the leaders agreed that greater economic cooperation would result in a win-win situation.

They also agreed to cooperate in international arena including the United Nations, OIC and Commonwealth as both the countries shared many common values.

Cabinet Secretary Ali Imam Majumdar and Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations Ismat Jahan were present.

Meanwhile, Cheick Sidi Diarra, under-secretary general of the UN and High Representative for LDCs, Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC) and Small Island Developing (SID) countries, called on the chief adviser at his hotel suite on Wednesday.

During the meeting, Diarra said Bangladesh has many success stories in various fields including micro-finance and MDGs, which he said can be shared with the LDCs.

The chief adviser said Bangladesh will feel happy to share its experiences and said office of the high representative should work as advocacy in favour of LDCs in partnership with the related organisation like United Nations, civil society, media and academia.

He said Bangladesh firmly committed to the cause of Least Developed Countries and assured full support to the activities of the high representative office of LDC, LLDC and SID countries.

Main job of the HR office is to raise issues concerning the LDCs aiming at alleviating poverty.

The chief adviser attended a reception and Iftar hosted by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri-al-Maliki at the UN building and also joined another reception hosted by President of South Africa Thabo Mbeki.

He also gave interviews to the New York Times, CNN television, Associated Press Television News (APTN) and Voice of America (VOA).

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