Malaysia ready to help Bangladesh rebuild, says Anwar

Malaysia is ready to help and support Bangladesh's interim government in rebuilding and restoring peace and security, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The Prime Minister said this during a phone call to Prof Muhammad Yunus on Tuesday (Aug 13), who was appointed Chief Advisor for the Interim Government of Bangladesh.

"Yesterday, I made a phone call to my old friend, Prof Muhammad Yunus, to congratulate him personally on his recent appointment," he said in his Facebook post on Wednesday (Aug 14).

Anwar said that Yunus, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, has long-standing good ties with Malaysia.

He also expressed his delight that Yunus had assured him that the rights of all Bangladeshis including minorities would be protected.

He said the new Bangladesh leader has also invited him to undertake a short visit to Bangladesh as soon as possible further to strengthen the brotherly relationship between the two countries.

Yunus, a former economic lecturer was named as interim leader following talks among military officials, civic leaders and the student activists who led the uprising against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

He made his first public comments in Paris on Aug 7 before boarding a plane to return home.

Yunus won the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize for his pioneering microfinance work that helped alleviate poverty in Bangladesh.