Prime Minister Najib Razak's official three-day visit to Bangladesh, beginning tomorrow, will further enhance relations between the two countries.

It is Najib's first official visit to Bangladesh, made on the invitation of his Bangladesh counterpart, Sheikh Hasina, when they met in New York recently.

Malaysia's High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Norlin Othman said Najib's visit would be meaningful because apart from the political and economic relations which had long existed between both countries, Malaysia was among the first countries to recognise the independence of Bangladesh in 1971.

She said the prime minister was scheduled to arrive tomorrow with wife, Rosmah Mansor, and a 62-member delegation which would include Foreign Minister Anifah Aman and Malaysia's Special Ambassador in South Asia S Samy Vellu.

They would be met upon arrival by Sheikh Hasina and Bangladeshi senior ministers, she added.

On the second day, Najib is scheduled to open the Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Memorial Specialised Hospital and Nursing College.

The hospital, which is named after the Bangladesh prime minister's mother will be managed by KPJ Malaysia.

Foreign workers send RM3bil home

Norlin said Najib would also call on Bangladesh President Md Abdul Hamid and the two leaders were expected to discuss several matters, including on Bangladesh nationals working in Malaysia.

There are currently more than 320,000 Bangladeshis working at several sectors in Malaysia, she added.

Since 2010, Bangladesh nationals working in Malaysia had sent home RM3 billion, the highest compared with workers from Indonesia (RM2.9 billion), Nepal (RM1.9 billion), India (RM625 million) and the Philippines (RM561 million).

Meanwhile, Rosmah is scheduled to visit the Dhaka Community Hospital.

The World Children Welfare Fund under the Permata childhood education programme donated RM103,000 last month to Mercy Malaysia for the 'Cleft Lip and Palate Project' at the hospital.

During the visit, the prime minister is also scheduled to visit the National Martyrs' Monument at Savar and the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum.

- Bernama