Dhaka: Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus today sought Indonesia’s support for Bangladesh’s membership in ASEAN and also urged the Southeast Asian country to create more opportunities for Bangladeshi business. The Chief Adviser made the call when the Indonesian ambassador to Bangladesh, Heru Hartanto Subolo, paid him a farewell visit at his office in Tejgaon, Dhaka. “I hope Indonesia will help us get the membership of ASEAN. This is very important for us,” the Chief Adviser told the ambassador.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the Chief Adviser mentioned that he had also discussed the issue with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim during the latter’s recent visit to Bangladesh, as Malaysia is set to assume the chair of ASEAN in January. Ambassador Subolo conveyed his country’s support for Bangladesh’s Interim Government and stated that Indonesia would closely follow Bangladesh’s application to become an ASEAN member. “Indonesia stands ready to support Bangladesh in all possible ways. Hopefull
y, it will be beneficial for both countries,” he said.
The Chief Adviser recalled his multiple visits to Indonesia to promote microcredit and noted the minimal presence of Bangladeshi business in Indonesia. “One thing is always regrettable that there are not many Bangladeshis in Indonesia. They are everywhere but not in Indonesia,” said the Chief Adviser. He highlighted Indonesia as the largest Muslim country and mentioned the lack of awareness amongst Indonesians about Bangladesh, suggesting the need for increased interaction between the two nations. “We must find a way to bring us closer,” he said.
Furthermore, he urged Indonesia to enroll more Bangladeshi students in their universities, hire more Bangladeshi doctors, and import pharmaceutical items from Bangladesh. Ambassador Subolo promised to work on increasing business cooperation between Bangladesh and Indonesia. He expressed satisfaction with the signing of the MOU between Pertamina Power Indonesia and Coal Generation Company Bangladesh Limited conc
erning the Solar PV investment project in Matarbari and other areas in July 2024.
The Chief Adviser extended his congratulations to the new Indonesian president, Prabowo Subianto, on his assumption of office and invited him to visit Bangladesh at a convenient time.