Dhaka [Bangladesh], July 6 : Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia shortly, following an official invitation from the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, which the Prime Minister has formally accepted.
The development was shared with journalists on Monday by the Foreign Affairs Adviser to the Prime Minister, Humayun Kabir.
Elaborating on the bilateral interaction, Kabir stated, "Basically, I wanted to brief you on a call by His Excellency Dr. Abdullah Jafar H. Bin Abiyah, the Honourable Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This morning, he called on the Honourable Prime Minister, Tarique Rahman, at the Cabinet Secretariat."
"And a very cordial discussion took place, along with an exchange of pleasantries. The Honourable Ambassador conveyed greetings from His Highness the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia and extended an invitation from His Highness the Crown Prince to our Honourable Prime Minister, Tarique Rahman, to visit the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia," Kabir said.
The Adviser further noted that the diplomatic engagement points towards a reciprocal high-level visit from Riyadh to Dhaka.
"The Ambassador also conveyed that His Highness the Crown Prince, His Excellency Mohammed bin Salman, is very much interested in visiting Bangladesh at a convenient time," the Foreign Affairs Adviser stated.
Underscoring the trajectory of the long-standing geopolitical relationship, Kabir emphasised Dhaka's commitment to deepening its engagement with Riyadh across critical domains.
"So, from this exchange, you can see that we are very positive about having strategic cooperation and partnership with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Historically, our bilateral relations have always been good. We will further strengthen them, and the ties will reach, Inshallah, new heights," he added.
The Adviser highlighted that the upcoming high-level interactions are poised to unlock substantial economic opportunities, noting a surge in commercial interest from both public and private entities in Saudi Arabia.
"We will strengthen our diplomatic relations, as well as the volume of trade and investment in our partnership. There has been tremendous interest this morning from Saudi Arabia, both from the private sector and the government, in investing in Bangladesh," Kabir observed.
"It is also a significant moment in our bilateral relations. You can see ahead that not only has the Prime Minister been invited to visit the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, but the Crown Prince has also expressed his interest in visiting Bangladesh. So, it's both ways," the Adviser said.
Reflecting on the diplomatic strides made by the administration since assuming office, Kabir traced the breakthrough to sustained, proactive regional outreach over the last four months.
"It only shows how significant these four months have been for the Government of Bangladesh after our new government was elected and that we have established brotherly ties across the Middle East.
"After all, you are very much aware that our Honourable Prime Minister, through his special envoy during that period, travelled across the Middle East," Kabir stated.
"And this gesture from our Prime Minister has established tremendous goodwill in the Middle East.
"Part of that has culminated in a significant moment where we will strengthen and increase our strategic communication and partnership with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia," Kabir said.