Bangladesh-Malaysia chamber eyes semiconductor, halal market partnerships

The Bangladesh-Malaysia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BMCCI) is moving to tap into opportunities in the global semiconductor and halal markets through new partnerships signed with Malaysian institutions earlier this month.

The chamber informed about the partnerships at a press briefing in Dhaka today (26 August), where BMCCI's delegation shared the outcomes of its participation in the Investment Summit 2025 held in Kuala Lumpur from 11-13 August.

The new deals aim to boost innovation, skilled manpower, and trade diversification.

During the summit, the chamber signed a government-to-business MoU with Malaysia's national applied research and development centre, MIMOS, in the presence of both countries' heads of government. 

"This is the first such agreement in 53 years of diplomatic ties. The deal aims to foster collaboration in semiconductor research, IC design and talent development through MIMOS's E&E Talent Development Programmes," said BMCCI President Shabbir A Khan.

BMCCI also inked another MoU with Malaysia's Advanced Semiconductor Academy (ASEM) to launch a "Train-the-Trainer" initiative in Bangladesh, designed to equip local academics and engineers with industry-aligned expertise in IC design, packaging and embedded systems.

"Bangladesh cannot afford to remain on the sidelines of the semiconductor ecosystem, which is projected to exceed $3 trillion globally by 2030," the BMCCO president said. 

"Through these partnerships, we are preparing our talent pool for both domestic industries and global opportunities," he added.

Echoing him, BMCCI Secretary General Motaher H Khan said, "Malaysia faces a shortage of skilled semiconductor professionals, and this presents a strategic opportunity for Bangladesh. By collaborating with MIMOS and ASEM, we can position our engineers as global players in the high-value electronics sector."

The chamber also pointed to opportunities in the halal economy, which is projected to reach $9.45 trillion by 2034. It referred to a seminar it had organised earlier in August, "Halal Economy 360: Driving Global Growth," where industry leaders urged stronger participation in the Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS).

Speakers at the event said Bangladesh could earn $7-8 billion annually by exporting halal products to Malaysia by 2030.

Additionally, Prime Bank Investment Limited (PBIL) signed an MoU with Amanie Advisors of Malaysia to boost Shariah-compliant investment in Bangladesh.

Prime Bank Investment (PBIL) MD and CEO Syed M Omar Tayub and BMCCI Senior Vice President Md Anwar Shahid were also present at the briefing.