Staff Correspondent

Visiting Imam of the Holy Masjid al Nabawi Masjid-e Nababi in Medina of Saudi Arabia Sheikh Dr Abdullah bin Abdur Rahman Al-Bua'Yjan today said Bangladesh is his second country.

"The people of Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia are very close due to religious bondage despite geographical distance between the two countries," he said.

Sheikh Dr Abdullah bin Abdur Rahman Al-Bua'Yjan said this as he paid a courtesy called on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Ganabhaban in the evening.

After the meeting, Prime Minister's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefing the newsmen said, the Imam of the Holy Masjid al Nabawi in Medina described Bangladesh as his second country.

Sheikh Dr Abdullah bin Abdur Rahman Al-Bua'Yjan said, he is praying for the well-being of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the people of Bangladesh.

He said that he also prayed to the Almighty Allah for the long life of the Prime Minister and grant her the ability to serve the holy religion Islam and the Muslim Ummah.

Sheikh Dr Abdullah bin Abdur Rahman Al-Bua'Yjan informed the Prime Minister that most of the Khadems working in Masjid al Nabawi are Bangladeshi nationals.

Regarding the model mosques being constructed across the country, the Imam of the holy mosque said, the Almighty Allah gives numerous blessings to those who build mosque.

At the meeting, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina welcomed the Imam of Masjid al Nabawi in Dhaka and said his presence at the National Imam Conference- 2023 would encourage the people of Bangladesh towards the true essence of Islam.

She said attempts were made to kill her several times and she survived the attempts with the blessings of Almighty Allah.

Referring to her performing Hajj, the Prime Minister said, she performed Hajj for the first time in 1984 and later she also performed Hajj on behalf of her Father Bangabandhu and Mother Bangamata.

During the time, Sheikh Hasina said that she will attend the upcoming OIC Conference on Women in Islam to be held in Jeddah and will offer Ziarat of the holy Rawjah Mubarak of Prophet Hazrat Mohammad (Peace be upon him).

In reply, Sheikh Dr Abdullah bin Abdur Rahman Al-Bua'Yjan said that he will be eagerly waiting to receive the Prime Minister at the holy Masjid al Nabawi in Medina.

PM's Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman Fazlur Rahman, State Minister for Religious Affairs Md Faridul Haque Khan, Ambassador-at-large Mohammad Ziauddin, PMO Secretary Mohammad Salahuddin, Religious Affairs Secretary Md A Hamid Zamadder and Ambassador of Saudi Arabia Essa Yousef Essa Al Duhailan were present.

Earlier, Chief Executive Officer of the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) Professor Dr Patrick V Verkooijen also paid courtesy called on the Prime Minister at the same venue.

The Press Secretary said that Patrick V Verkooijen highly appreciated the leadership of Prime Minister on the issue of climate change in the international forums.

During the time, he showed the model of Head Quarter office in Notre dame of the Netherlands which looks like a floating water vehicle, while the Prime Minister expressed keenness to build a convention center like establishment in Bangladesh.

The Chief Executive Officer of the GCA said, about US$ 320 million has so far been spent for the climate change issues.

In response, Sheikh Hasina said that her government has been working to create green belt on the coastal regions through tree plantation programmes, while her party Awami League has been planting saplings for aforestation since 1985.

Ambassador-at-large Mohammad Ziauddin, Special Envoy to the Climate Vulnerable Forum's Presidency Abul Kalam Azad and PMO Secretary Mohammad Salahuddin were present.