Bangladesh Secures Qatar's Support For Reform Programme
Bangladesh Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus and Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, held talks in Doha on Thursday to boost bilateral cooperation.
NEW DELHI, April 24 (Bernama) -- The Bangladesh interim government's reform programme has received strong support from Qatar.
Yunus sought Qatar's "full diplomatic, financial, and investment support for building a New Bangladesh', according to a statement.
"We need your support to build the country of the dream of our youth," Yunus told Sheikh Mohammed.
Bangladesh is rebuilding itself through various reforms after Sheikh Hasina was ousted as prime minister in a student-led mass uprising last year.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
an hour ago
- New Straits Times
Malaysia's IPI growth in April reflects strong demand, industrial vitality
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's Industrial Production Index (IPI) growth in April 2025, driven primarily by a robust manufacturing sector, reflects strong aggregate demand and industrial vitality, an economist said. Juwai IQI global chief economist Shan Saeed noted that the government appears committed to maintaining macroeconomic growth stability. "The uptick in domestically oriented manufacturing signals a strategic pivot toward internal economic resilience, underpinned by proactive government measures. "These measures include demand-side stimulus, incentives for small and medium enterprises, and infrastructure investments – all of which reinforce domestic investor confidence and enhance productive capacity," he told Bernama. According to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), Malaysia's IPI rose 2.7 per cent year-on-year in April 2025, supported by a 5.6 per cent growth in the manufacturing sector. The department stated that export-oriented industries in the manufacturing sector in April 2025 grew by 6.4 per cent compared with a 4.8 per cent growth in March 2025, while domestic-oriented industries expanded by 3.9 per cent in April 2025 versus 2.3 per cent in March 2025. DOSM also reported that the mining and electricity sectors declined by 6.3 per cent and 1.6 per cent, respectively, in April 2025. Echoing Shan, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) associate professor of economics Dr Muhammad Irwan Ariffin, said the country's IPI growth in April 2025 is a positive sign for the economy, despite declines in the mining and electricity sectors. "While the overall outlook remains cautiously optimistic, we must remain mindful of certain risks and challenges. The declines in the mining and electricity sectors, especially amid global trade uncertainties, could dampen growth in the coming months," he said. Additionally, he highlighted challenges such as slower domestic consumption and potential global trade disruptions, which have led some international institutions to revise their growth forecasts for both Malaysia and the global economy. "That said, Malaysia's favourable manufacturing performance and steady investment inflows indicate strong underlying fundamentals. If global demand remains resilient, the economy is well-positioned to navigate these challenges. "It's important to closely monitor both domestic and external factors as they continue to shape the demand outlook for the rest of the year," he said. Looking ahead, he expects both export-oriented and domestic-oriented manufacturing sectors to play a central role in driving positive industrial performance in the upcoming May 2025 IPI report. "These sectors have shown resilience despite global and domestic challenges, and their continued growth is expected to significantly influence Malaysia's overall industrial output," he said. On a global scale, Muhammad Irwan noted Malaysia's industrial growth has been relatively modest compared to regional competitors such as Vietnam and Taiwan, emphasising valuable lessons to be learned from these countries, such as improving industrial infrastructure and fostering stronger industry-academia partnerships. Meanwhile, Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist Dr Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid attributed the stronger export-oriented industries in the manufacturing sector in April 2025 to front-loading activity by trading partners, particularly from the US – ahead of the anticipated tariff hikes in the second half of 2025 (2H 2025). "This suggests a more challenging outlook for 2H 2025, as traders and investors remain cautious about tariffs and their potential impact on the economy," he said.
Free Malaysia Today
an hour ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Investors hesitant amid global economic concerns, says Tengku Zafrul
Investment, trade and industry minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz said it is becoming increasingly difficult to make projections on investments. (Bernama pic) KUALA LUMPUR : Foreign investors are taking a cautious approach towards new investments in Malaysia due to global economic uncertainties, investment, trade and industry minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz said today. He warned that attracting new investors would be challenging in the current climate, noting that while existing investors in Malaysia remained committed, newcomers were showing hesitation. 'Those who have committed have not pulled out. But the ones that have not committed are now thinking (whether to invest or not),' he told reporters during the regional launch of the Asean Economic Community Strategic Plan 2026–2030. He also said it was becoming increasingly difficult to make projections on investments. 'When we have discussions with companies, we understand their concerns. Many (investors) are adopting a wait-and-see approach due to the dynamic geopolitical situation, especially between the US and China. 'New companies looking to invest want to assess the global situation first,' Tengku Zafrul added. When asked about Malaysia's RM89 billion in approved investments in the first quarter of the year – up 3.7% from the same period last year – Tengku Zafrul said it was 'pleasantly surprising' given typical first-quarter sluggishness. 'In terms of foreign investment, it is almost 70% of the investment. And at the same time, we see that the biggest sector is services, especially the digital economy,' he added. Tengku Zafrul is expected to travel to Washington on June 18 to continue negotiations over the US tariffs imposed on Malaysian goods. He said the Malaysian government hopes to persuade Washington to reduce import duties for certain sectors to below 10%. 'We also want to ensure that our local companies exporting to the US – especially in sectors such as furniture and downstream palm oil – are taken into account,' Tengku Zafrul said, adding that these sectors 'are not really in competition' with American industries.
Barnama
2 hours ago
- Barnama
Heitman Secures HESTA Investment For European Alternative Real Estate
BUSINESS KUALA LUMPUR, June 12 (Bernama) -- Heitman LLC (Heitman), a global real estate investment management firm, has announced an allocation from HESTA to invest in European alternative property types, including self-storage, student housing, residential, and health care. Heitman in a statement said this investment establishes the company as one of HESTA's largest international property investment managers. 'Unlike the traditional property types, the alternative sectors are driven by needs-based demand and are undersupplied, making them less tied to economic cycles. 'We believe this makes them an attractive way to benefit from the price reductions available in Europe whilst mitigating exposure to uncertain economic conditions,' said Heitman Managing Director, European Real Estate Investment, Caleb Mercer. Meanwhile, HESTA Head of Portfolio Management, Jeff Brunton said: 'The new allocation with Heitman will support us to continue to build a well-diversified portfolio of property investments designed to help deliver strong long-term returns for our more than one million members.' With over one million members and approximately AUD$93 billion of funds under management, HESTA is one of Australia's largest superannuation funds dedicated to health and community services. (AUD$1 = RM2.74) HESTA is an existing investor with Heitman through its United States core investment strategy. HESTA's new investment adds to Heitman's footprint in Australia, with Heitman currently managing AUD$8.4 billion across real estate equity and debt strategies. Founded in 1966 and globally headquartered in Chicago, with European headquarters in London, Heitman has 10 offices worldwide and is an active participant in the global real estate property and capital markets. -- BERNAMA
