- Muhammad Yunus says Kingdom is a ‘very important friend’ of Bangladesh
- Saudi ambassador sees investment opportunities in renewable energy, logistics
DHAKA: Bangladesh’s new leadership seeks continued cooperation with Saudi Arabia, the head of its interim government Prof. Muhammad Yunus said after his first meeting with the Kingdom’s envoy to Dhaka.
Muhammad Yunus, an 84-year-old economics professor and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, took charge of Bangladesh on Aug. 8, after the longtime Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina quit and fled the country amid violent protests calling for her ouster.
Soon after the appointment, Yunus’ technocrat cabinet manned by renowned lawyers and economists announced a series of judiciary, civil administration, security and economic reforms to restore the country’s macro-economic stability.
Yunus began to interact with foreign envoys in person this week.
After he met with Saudi Ambassador Essa Al-Duhailan, he said in a statement that Saudi Arabia was a “very important friend of Bangladesh” and that his government was “looking forward to continued cooperation” with the Kingdom.
“Bangladesh is also a good friend for Saudi Arabia. We have mutual understanding on many issues, like climate change and also in areas of investment, manpower,” Al-Duhailan told Arab News on Wednesday evening.
“It’s a new area, a new destination, for Saudi investment. And we are willing to invest here in Bangladesh in renewable energy and also in the logistics.”
The ambassador said that Saudi Arabia enjoyed “excellent relations” with Bangladesh both on the official and the people-to-people level and that he had a very “fruitful” meeting with Yunus.
“His excellency focused on how to extend help to Bangladesh, especially at this crucial junction, and also on energy support,” Al-Duhailan said.
“I asked his excellency to accelerate the procedures and waive all the obstacles in front of Saudi investments and also to attract Saudi capital because I believe that Bangladesh is a green field for investors in general and for Saudi investors in particular.”
Some 3 million Bangladeshis live and work in Saudi Arabia. They are the largest expat group in the Kingdom and also the biggest Bangladeshi community outside Bangladesh.
Official and business exchanges between the countries have been on the rise since March last year when a delegation led by Saudi Commerce Minister Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi visited Dhaka.
With several investment agreements signed during the visit, Saudi Arabia entered Bangladesh’s energy, seaport and agriculture industries, while the two nations’ chambers of commerce established the Saudi-Bangladesh Business Council to navigate bilateral commerce ties.
