Bangladesh, Malaysia discuss tourism, flights and visa facilitation

State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M Rashiduzzaman Millat held a meeting with Malaysia's Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Chiew Choon Man in Putrajaya yesterday (18 August), discussing ways to strengthen cooperation in the tourism sector.

Bangladesh High Commissioner to Malaysia Manjurul Karim Khan Chowdhury was also present at the meeting.

The two sides discussed creating more diverse and attractive tourism experiences for visitors from both countries, while exploring new areas of cooperation in tourism.

The discussions covered cultural exchanges, increasing the number and frequency of flights between the two countries, capacity building, visa facilitation and pre-verification, and sharing experience, knowledge and successful models in tourism development.

The two sides also discussed cooperation in training and skills development in the hospitality sector.

They stressed the need to strengthen cooperation to help meet Malaysia's demand for skilled and trained workers in the tourism and hospitality sectors and increase employment opportunities for qualified Bangladeshi workers.

The meeting also emphasised strengthening bilateral relations through tourism development, greater people-to-people connectivity and cultural exchanges, with both sides expressing hope that such cooperation would deepen mutual understanding between Bangladesh and Malaysia.

Also present were Chua Choon Hwa, deputy secretary general for tourism; Nuwal Fadhilah Ku Azmi, director of International Promotion for Asia and Africa at Tourism Malaysia; senior officials from Malaysia's Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and Tourism Malaysia; Bangladesh Deputy High Commissioner Mosammat Shahanara Monica; and Pranab Kumar Ghosh, first secretary (commercial) at the Bangladesh High Commission.