CA seeks more Saudi investment in Bangladesh

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus urged Saudi Arabia today (28 October) to invest more in Bangladesh and sought enhanced energy and economic cooperation to boost ties between the two friendly nations.

"This is the time that Saudi Arabia can give the best support to us," he said during a courtesy call with Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Essa Youssef Essa Al Duhailan at his office in Tejgaon, Dhaka.

He told the Saudi envoy the relationship between the two countries is "unique" and " separate" from other countries.

He also asked Saudi Arabia to convey his request to the Saudi Government for depositing funds in Bangladesh's central bank to boost liquidity support as part of economic cooperation, saying it would be "a wonderful gesture to the Interim Government".

He called for a concessional supply of energy and petroleum products, enhanced trade and increased Saudi investment in the training of the Bangladeshi young people so that Dhaka could send more skilled and trained workers to the oil-rich country.

Ambassador Al Duhailan acknowledged the contribution of the Bangladeshi diaspora in Saudi Arabia, saying that gaining more skills would help them earn a better salary and send more remittances back home.

According to CA's press wing, currently, nearly 3 million Bangladeshis are employed in the kingdom, sending billions of US dollars annually.

Ambassador Al Duhailan said that Saudi Arabia issues on average 5,000 visas to Bangladeshi migrants and Muslim pilgrims daily.

In 2023, about half a million Bangladeshis visited Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah Hajj, a 37 per cent increase from the previous year.

Ambassador Al Duhailan said his country was eager to invest more in Bangladesh and sought support from the office of the Chief Adviser to facilitate proposed  Saudi investment in the port and logistics sectors, especially in  Matarbari Deep Sea Port, and power and renewable energy sectors by Acwa Power.

He handed over two letters from the Custodian of Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman congratulating the Chief Adviser on the occasion of Saudi national day.

"My government wants to see stability in Bangladesh, and Inshallah is ready to support the Bangladesh government," said the Saudi Arabian ambassador. 

He presented the Chief Adviser with a copy of the Holy Quran and a replica of the falcon, the national bird of Saudi Arabia.