Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus has met former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, seeking his valuable support in strengthening bilateral relations and contributing to the resolution of the Rohingya crisis to help bring a lasting peace to the region.

The meeting was held at the Shangri-La Hotel in Bangkok on Friday.

Prof Yunus also thanked the former Thai Prime Minister for his efforts to expand Thai-Bangladesh trade and cooperation during his time as the Prime Minister of the South East Asian nation.

During the meeting, they also discussed the global trade issues and expansion of microcredit and social businesses in rural Thailand, said Chief Adviser's Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder.

Prof Yunus also enquired about the health of Thaksin, an old friend of the 2006 Nobel Peace Laureate.

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Soon after taking office in 2001, then PM Thaksin visited Bangladesh and Grameen Bank with his colleagues and designed a microcredit programme for Thailand inspired by the success of the Grameen Bank microcredit programme.

Dr Yunus had been invited by Mr Thaksin as the chief guest in the national launching of the programme that year.

They also discussed the possible re-launch of the airline route between Chiang Mai and Chattogram, which had brought the flight time between Bangladesh and Thailand to one hour.

Thaksin recalled then Prime Minister Khaleda Zia flying together from Chattogram to Chiang Mai on the inaugural flight.

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Prof Yunus and Thaksin discussed other issues of mutual interest. The Chief Adviser sought Thaksin's support for Bangladesh's plan to become an ASEAN member.

Lamiya Morshed, Senior Secretary and SDGs Affairs Principal Coordinator of the Bangladesh government, was present during the meeting.