Anwar made the statement as Bangladesh’s interim leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus began a three-day visit to Malaysia. “Ensuring peace in Myanmar is a top priority, along with delivering urgent humanitarian assistance to refugees and earthquake victims,” Anwar said during a joint press conference with Yunus.

Malaysia’s foreign minister will lead the upcoming Myanmar mission in coordination with counterparts from Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand. Anwar, who is ASEAN’s chair this year, emphasized concern over the heavy burden Bangladesh faces in accommodating the large Rohingya population.

According to the United Nations, ongoing conflict and targeted violence against the mostly Muslim Rohingya minority in Myanmar’s predominantly Buddhist Rakhine state have forced around 150,000 people to flee to Bangladesh in the last 18 months. During Yunus’s visit, Malaysia and Bangladesh signed five agreements covering defense cooperation and collaboration in the supply and infrastructure of liquefied natural gas (LNG), petroleum products, and related facilities.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Reuters.