Malaysia has expressed readiness to consider expanding scholarship allocations for Bangladeshi students under existing and future higher education programmes.
The interest was conveyed by Malaysian Minister for Higher Education Zambry Abdul Kadir during a bilateral meeting today with Bangladesh Prime Minister’s Adviser on Education, Labour, and Employment Mahdi Amin.
Minister for Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment Ariful Haque Chowdhury also attended the meeting, according to a press release from the Bangladesh High Commission in Malaysia.
Discussions focused on strengthening cooperation in higher education, research collaboration, skills development, and workforce mobility, with emphasis on expanding scholarships and improving integration of Bangladeshi students in Malaysian society.
Mahdi stressed the need for professional exposure and development opportunities for Bangladeshi students and graduates.
Minister Zambry acknowledged the proposal, expressing willingness to explore supportive frameworks aligned with Malaysia’s international education policies.
Mahdi emphasised university-to-university partnerships, expanding academic exchange programmes, and developing joint educational schemes supported by Malaysian institutions, with a focus on transparent selection processes and long-term sustainability.
He urged for stronger institutional mechanisms to support student inclusion, community engagement, and access to support services, ensuring that Bangladeshi students can thrive within Malaysian society.
Malaysia currently hosts over 11,000 Bangladeshi students, mostly in private institutions. Both sides discussed expanding mutually recognised qualifications, joint degree programmes, distance education, and flexible learning pathways, while aligning academic programmes with labour market needs.
The meeting reaffirmed the positive contribution of Bangladeshi students to academic exchange and socio‑economic ties, and Malaysia recognised the mandate of the BNP‑led government under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.