PUTRAJAYA. MALAYSIA February 19, 2026 – Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim today extended warm congratulations to Bangladesh’s newly elected Prime Minister Tarique Rahman following the latter’s landslide victory in the country’s 13th Parliamentary Election.
In a telephone conversation held this morning, Anwar expressed Malaysia’s delight at the strong mandate secured by Rahman and his Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), while praising the people of Bangladesh for conducting a peaceful and orderly democratic process.
“Berkesempatan berhubung menerusi perbualan telefon dengan Perdana Menteri Bangladesh yang baharu, Tarique Rahman bagi menyampaikan ucapan tahniah atas mandat besar yang diperoleh dalam Pilihan Raya Parlimen ke-13 baru-baru ini,” Anwar wrote in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter).
“I also expressed respect to the people of Bangladesh for their maturity in upholding the democratic process that unfolded peacefully and in an orderly manner,” he added.
Anwar emphasised Malaysia’s eagerness to work closely with Rahman’s administration to elevate bilateral ties to greater heights, covering trade, investment, education, and people-to-people exchanges.
He also extended a formal invitation for the Bangladeshi leader to undertake an official visit to Malaysia at a mutually convenient time.
“Malaysia looks forward to close cooperation with the new leadership of Bangladesh in strengthening and raising bilateral relations to a higher level,” Anwar stated.
“May the friendship between Malaysia and Bangladesh continue to be strengthened for the mutual benefit of both nations.”
The phone call comes just days after Tarique Rahman, 60, was sworn in as Prime Minister on 17 February 2026 following the BNP’s decisive win in the general election held on 12 February. The veteran politician — son of Bangladesh’s founding President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia — returned from 17 years of exile in London in December 2025.
A photo accompanying Anwar’s post shows the Malaysian leader smiling while on the phone, with a graphic overlay identifying the call as being with “Tarique Rahman, Perdana Menteri Bangladesh”.
The development signals a new chapter in Malaysia-Bangladesh relations under the MADANI administration’s proactive diplomacy. Both nations already enjoy strong people-to-people links through migrant workers, education, and Islamic cooperation, with bilateral trade exceeding US$1.5 billion annually.
Life News Agency will continue to monitor further developments on the invited official visit.
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