Foreign Adviser leaves for Malaysia to attend ASEAN Forum

Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain has departed for Malaysia on a two-day official visit to attend the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.

He left Dhaka on Tuesday afternoon (9 July) for Kuala Lumpur, according to Kamrul Islam Bhuiyan, Information Officer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The adviser is scheduled to return to Dhaka on 12 July.

The visit comes amid growing concerns following the recent arrest of 36 Bangladeshi nationals in Malaysia over alleged links to extremist activities. The incident has sparked criticism in local media and heightened diplomatic sensitivity around the trip.

Sources indicate that, in addition to attending the ARF sessions, Adviser Touhid Hossain may hold sideline meetings with Malaysian authorities. If such meetings take place, discussions are expected to include the issue of the arrested Bangladeshis and the allegations against them.

There may also be an opportunity to discuss the upcoming visit of Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus to Malaysia, scheduled for August.

Diplomatic insiders suggest that while the primary purpose of the visit is participation in the ARF, it holds added significance in the context of recent developments involving Bangladeshi nationals and preparations for high-level future engagements between the two countries.

The ARF Ministerial Meeting is being held in Malaysia from 8 to 11 July.