e-News® | The NEWS Company…DHAKA, Aug 04, 2015 : The Saudi government would resume issuance of Umrah visa for Bangladeshi pilgrims after the upcoming Hajj season, said State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia Dr. Nizar bin Obaid Madani in Jeddah on Monday.
He also said that recruitment of Bangladeshi workers for all other sectors in Saudi Arabia would begin gradually although the Saudi government had already started recruiting Bangladeshi female domestic helpers, according to a foreign ministry press release issued here today. The Saudi Arabia State Minister for Foreign Affairs expressed these views during a bilateral talks with his Bangladesh counterpart Md. Shahriar Alam, who is now on a three-day official visit in Jeddah, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
During the meeting, Dr. Madani said that his country is ready to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) with Bangladesh as Saudi Arabia attaches great importance to its relationship with Bangladesh. In the meeting, the two state ministers discussed the whole gamut of bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia. Shahriar Alam apprised his Saudi counterpart on the success of the present government in Bangladesh under the able leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in achieving remarkable socioeconomic development, particularly in poverty alleviation, women empowerment, social development, health, education and IT sectors.
The Saudi State Minister lauded Bangladesh’s achievements in socio economic sectors in recent years and hoped that other countries, particularly OIC member states would be encouraged to follow the suit. Mentioning the existing relationship with Bangladesh “healthy and going to right direction”, he said that signing of a MoU on bilateral political consultations between the two countries would create new platforms for different ministries and departments of the two countries to engage more on mutually beneficial areas of cooperation.
While extending thanks to the Saudi government for re-opening the “Iqama” transfer and profession change for expatriate Bangladeshi nationals in February 2014, Shahriar Alam requested the government of Saudi Arabia to recruit more professionals, skilled, semi-skilled and un-skilled workers from Bangladesh for various infrastructure and development projects in Saudi Arabia. He also requested the Saudi government to facilitate issuance of Umrah visa for Bangladeshi pilgrims.
Shahriar Alam also said that the two countries should work more closely together to explore the full potential of bilateral engagements in trade and commerce. In this regard he mentioned that Bangladesh could provide Saudi Arabia with high quality and international standard products such as readymade garments, medicine, jute and leather goods, plastic items, ceramic items etc. at competitive prices.
