Chief Counsel Muhammad Yunus today called on Singapore to assist Bangladesh in recovering billions of dollars laundered from the country and help reduce the cost of recruiting migrant labour.

His call came during a meeting with Singapore’s ambassador to Bangladesh, Derek Loh, at Yunus Tejgaon’s office in Dhaka.

“A lot of money has been transferred from Bangladesh to many countries, including Singapore,” Yunus told Ambassador Loh.

“We need full cooperation from Singapore,” he added.

Ambassador Loh pledged Singapore’s support to help Dhaka in this matter.

During their hour-long meeting, Yunus also urged Singapore to work with Bangladesh to reduce recruitment costs for Bangladeshi migrant workers, which would allow them to send more income home.

He proposed establishing a model framework with Singapore to make migration more accessible.

Ambassador Loh recommended that Bangladesh digitize its recruitment system to reduce the risks of human trafficking and worker exploitation.

Trade, investment, shipping, education and healthcare were also discussed, along with Bangladesh’s recent economic recovery and its business-friendly environment.

Professor Yunus said Bangladesh is now ready for business, with the economy making a good recovery just three months after the dictatorship left it in shambles.

“It’s a good time to do business here,” he added.

The prospect of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two nations has also been raised by Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry.

Singapore offered expertise in water treatment and waste energy management, with Loh proposing food agency collaboration between the nations.

On foreign policy, Yunus emphasized Bangladesh’s commitment to fostering strong relations with its neighbors and reviving the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation to boost regional cooperation.

He sought Singapore’s support for the potential inclusion of Bangladesh as an ASEAN sectoral dialogue partner, to which Loh responded positively.

“We don’t distinguish between east and west. We have to build bridges everywhere,” said the chief adviser.

The meeting was attended by Lutfey Siddiqi, Special Envoy of the Principal Counsel; Lamiya Morshed, Principal Secretary and Coordinator for SDG Affairs; and Michael Lee, Singapore’s chargé d’affaires in Dhaka.