Bangladesh-Saudi relations to further strengthen during visit of Crown Prince Salman
Diplomatic Correspondent
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is eager to further strengthen its bilateral relationship with Bangladesh as Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visits Bangladesh in the latter half of this year.
“Saudi Crown Prince has accepted the invitation extended by Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to visit the country this year. However, the date has yet to be fixed,” Saudi Ambassador in Dhaka Essa Yousef Essa Al Duhailan on Thursday.
The main purpose of the visit is to strengthen bilateral ties between the Kingdom and Bangladesh, he said while interacting with reporters at the opening of a food basket event at the Saudi Embassy in Baridhara.
Bilateral, regional and international issues of common concern will also be discussed during the upcoming visit.
The Ambassador said Saudi Arabia is planning an investment of $1.2 billion and Saudi company -- Red Sea Gateway Terminal will start its operations of Patenga Bay Terminal – in Chattogram in April this year.
Last year, the Saudi company signed a 22-year concession deal with the Chattogram Port Authority to develop a container terminal at Bangladesh’s primary port in a deal worth $170 million.
The Red Sea Gateway Terminal will develop and operate a 500,000-twenty-foot equivalent unit facility and will be equipped with new technologies to handle the fast-growing export market.
About the food basket opening, Saudi Ambassador Essa Yousef Essa Al Duhailan said a total of 15,700 baskets of food items, each containing 24 kilos of variety of food, will be distributed among the vulnerable people in 32 places across the country. They will also include the Rohingyas in Cox’s Bazar.
The food baskets having rice, lentil, sugar, edible oil, salt, etc will be distributed through the Sunbulah Welfare Association Bangladesh in different districts to ensure Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Bangladesh through King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief.
Under the instructions of Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, food items are being provided to the poor as a symbol of solidarity.
He said about 2.8 million Bangladeshis working in Saudi Arabia are also making significant contributions to the Saudi economy as well as that of Bangladesh.
“These are all clear signs of our relations developing day by day,” he said.
