Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said her recent visit to Saudi Arabia will play a far-reaching role in strengthening ties between the two countries, particularly protecting Bangladesh’s interests.
“My firm belief is that my visit will play a far-reaching role in strengthening bilateral ties between the two countries, particularly protecting Bangladesh’s interest,” she said on Monday.
The prime minister said this in her written speech at a press conference held at her official residence Ganabhaban, arranged to highlight the activities on her recent visit to Saudi Arabia.
Hasina said constructive discussions were held with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman during the tour, particularly on establishing effective partnership by protecting common interests, strengthening activities on cooperation on establishing peace and stability in the Muslim world as well as defence and security issues.
At the meeting, she said, King Salman expressed satisfaction at the existing level of ties saying it had gained unprecedented momentum in the last couple of years.
The Saudi king put emphasis on maintaining the ongoing trend of the bilateral communication and cooperation between the two countries to further expand the relation.
In this regard, King Salman particularly stressed the need for utilizing opportunities of enhancing cooperation in commerce, investment, culture, defence and security sectors, Hasina said.
“The Saudi king highly praised Bangladesh’s stunning successes in socioeconomic front and put emphasis on continuation of the government in the future to maintain the country’s stability and pace of development for a long term,” she said.
Referring to her meeting with a Saudi delegation led by the crown prince and deputy prime minister, Sheikh Hasina said she requested for more Saudi investment in Bangladesh’s various sectors.
In response, the Saudi deputy prime minister wanted to be a party to Bangladesh’s development and expressed his keenness to invest more in Bangladesh.
They will send a high-profile business delegation and an expert team to Bangladesh in this regard, Hasina said.
She said both sides vowed to work together on various international issues, particularly establishing peace in the Islamic worldas well as the development of Muslim countries.
During her talks with the Saudi king and crown prince, Hasina said she separately invited them to visit Bangladesh and both of them accepted her invitation.
Hasina said she also attended a meeting with the leaders of the Council of Saudi Chamber and the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce.
Following the meeting, five memorandums of understanding on establishing Saudi-Bangladesh Special economic zone, setting up a cement factory, a Di-Amonium Phosphate factory, a solar power plant and electrician equipment-manufacturing factory were signed between Dhaka and Riyadh.
“These will open up a new era in creating Saudi investment in Bangladesh,” she added.
The prime minister said she inaugurated the Bangladesh chancery building at the diplomatic quarters in Riyadh and laid the foundation stone of the chancery building of Bangladesh Consulate General in Jeddah.
During her visit to Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Hasina performed Umrah in Makkah and offered ziarat at Rowza of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) at Masjid Al-Nabawi in Madinah.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader and Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali were present on the dais during the press conference.
