Bangladesh's premier looks to China, Malaysia for investment, jobs in first trip

DHAKA: Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will embark on his first overseas trip since taking office on Sunday, visiting Malaysia and China in a mission aimed at attracting ​investment, boosting overseas employment and signalling foreign policy priorities.

The six-day trip comes as Rahman’s administration seeks ‌foreign capital to support an ambitious economic agenda, while strengthening ties with key Asian partners.

Rahman will leave for Kuala Lumpur on Sunday afternoon to meet with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, before travelling to China on Monday for a three-day official visit at the invitation of ​Chinese Premier Li Qiang.

Bangladesh aims to sign bilateral deals in China

A key outcome to watch during the ​China visit will be the signing of 15-17 bilateral instruments, Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam ⁠told reporters on Saturday. He also confirmed that discussions on the long-delayed Teesta River project would be on the ​agenda.

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 Annual Meeting of the New Champions, known as the Summer Davos Forum, in the northeastern Chinese city of Dalian, where global business and political leaders will discuss growth, innovation and emerging technologies.

The Chinese leg of the tour comes as Dhaka seeks to ​deepen ties with one of its largest trading partners and development financiers.

The visit follows the government’s recent approval of ​a 41.89 billion taka ($340 million) infrastructure project for the Chinese Economic and Industrial Zone in Chittagong, backed by 24.67 billion taka in ‌concessional Chinese ⁠loans.

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The project is expected to create around 100,000 jobs and attract more than $500 million in foreign direct investment during its initial phase.

In Malaysia, discussions are expected to focus on labour migration, recruitment of Bangladeshi workers and broader economic cooperation.

Malaysia remains one of the largest destinations for Bangladeshi migrant workers, whose remittances are a crucial source of foreign exchange for the ​South Asian nation.

Ties with India ​have improved, but tensions ⁠persist

The trip also has broader diplomatic significance.

Former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted during a mass uprising in 2024 and has since been living in India, was widely seen ​as closer to New Delhi, but maintained ties with both India and China while ​securing significant Chinese-backed ⁠infrastructure investments.

While relations between Dhaka and New Delhi have improved since Rahman’s government took office in February, disagreements remain, including border tensions and alleged migrant push-ins across the frontier.

“Although ties with India have improved somewhat, tensions persist, notably over border issues. Strengthening relations ⁠with ​China reflects Dhaka’s broader effort to balance its external partnerships,” said Asif ​Shahan, a professor of development studies at the University of Dhaka.

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“The visits are as much economic as diplomatic,” he added. “China is crucial for investment, while ​Malaysia remains key for overseas employment — both align with the government’s economic priorities.”