Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Dr Abdullah Zafer H. bin
Abiyah in an interview with Daily Capital Views said that relations between
Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh are historic and deeply rooted in strong bonds of
friendship, mutual respect, and shared interests. Over the past several years,
these relations have continued to expand across a number of areas.
The rest part of the interview is given below:
01. Tarique
Rahman is the new Prime Minister of Bangladesh. Former Prime Minister Begum
Khaleda Zia visited the KSA at the invitation of the KSA King several
times. The Crown Prince of KSA, Mohammed
bin Salman Al Saud, has invited the Prime Minister of Bangladesh MrTarique
Rahman to visit KSA. How do you see Bangladesh –KSA relations in the coming
days?
Answer: Relations between Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh are
historic and deeply rooted in strong bonds of friendship, mutual respect, and
shared interests. Over the past several years, these relations have continued
to expand across a number of areas.
We look forward to seeing a qualitative and comprehensive
expansion of bilateral relations in the coming period. Our cooperation should
extend beyond the traditional area of manpower to include trade, investment,
energy, infrastructure, transport, logistics, technology, and other sectors of
mutual interest.
In this context, the invitation extended by His Royal
Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia, to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman reflects the importance that the
Saudi leadership attaches to relations with Bangladesh. We are confident that high-level visits and
regular consultations between the two countries will open new avenues for
cooperation and transform our longstanding friendly relations into an even
broader and more sustainable strategic partnership.
02. Britain, Australia, Canada and Portugal
recognised a Palestinian state after nearly two years of war in Gaza, with
France, Belgium and other countries poised to follow suit at the UN General
Assembly. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has reaffirmed the Kingdom's
commitment to halt escalations in Gaza through international engagement. How
can KSA work with western countries and stakeholders concerned to restore peace
in the middle-east?
Answer: Saudi Arabia
has consistently stressed that achieving peace and stability in the Middle East
requires addressing the root causes of conflicts, respecting international law
and the UN Charter, protecting civilians, and preventing further escalation.
The Kingdom believes in the importance of collective
international action involving Arab and Islamic countries, Western countries,
and other international stakeholders to promote sustainable political and
diplomatic solutions.
With regard to the Palestinian issue, Saudi Arabia continues
to affirm its support for the establishment of an independent and sovereign
Palestinian state along the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital,
in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions and the Arab Peace
Initiative.
Saudi Arabia views dialogue, diplomacy, and international
cooperation as essential tools for reducing tensions and creating the
conditions necessary for achieving lasting peace and stability in the Middle
East.
03. Over
the years, the KSA has been the largest labour market to Bangladeshi workers?
However, Bangladeshi workers sometimes experience complications in getting a
KSA visa in time. How does KSA and Bangladesh work together in speeding up the
visa process and overcoming the hassles of visa seekers?
Answer: Bangladeshi workers are highly valued in Saudi Arabia
and have played an important role in the Kingdom’s development. Saudi Arabia
remains the largest destination for Bangladeshi workers, with more than 752,000
Bangladeshi workers arriving in the Kingdom in 2025 alone.
Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh are continuously working to
improve the recruitment and visa-processing system, enhance verification and
documentation procedures, and make the overall process more efficient while
safeguarding the rights and interests of both workers and employers.
Our objective is to develop a more efficient, transparent,
and digitally enabled system that reduces unnecessary procedures and enables
qualified workers to travel to Saudi Arabia through a secure and orderly
process.
Cooperation in vocational training, skills development, and
preparing workers according to the evolving requirements of the Saudi labour
market will also be an important component of our cooperation in the coming
period.
With regard to the issuance of visas for Bangladeshi workers,
the Saudi Embassy normally issues visas within 24 hours once the application is
complete. There are no delays on the Saudi side in this regard. This efficiency
reflects the effectiveness of the Kingdom’s digital work systems, governance,
and electronic integration among the relevant authorities.
04. Saudi
Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan signed the historic Mecca Joint Defence Agreement
on August 7, 2026. The pact establishes a collective security umbrella,
declaring that an armed attack against any one of the three member states will
be considered an attack against all of them. How do you see this accord?
Answer: The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement signed by Saudi
Arabia, Türkiye, and Pakistan on August 7, 2026, reflects the depth of the
strategic and defence relations among the three countries.
The agreement provides that an armed attack against any one
of the three countries will be considered an attack against all three, while
also strengthening defence cooperation among them. It is important to emphasise
that the stated objective of the agreement is to strengthen deterrence,
collective security, and stability. It is not directed against any particular
country. The agreement should therefore be viewed within the broader context of
strengthening security cooperation and contributing to regional stability,
while maintaining the Kingdom’s strategic relations with its various regional
and international partners.
05. Saudi
investment company Red Sea Gateway Terminal is engaged in the Patenga Container
Terminal and Matarbari Deep Sea Port. What are the latest developments of the
projects?
Answer: The involvement of Saudi companies in Bangladesh’s
ports, transport, and logistics sectors represents an important development in
our bilateral economic relationship. It reflects the evolution of our relations
from traditional economic cooperation toward long-term investment partnerships.
The Red Sea Gateway Terminal (RSGT) has made significant
investments to develop the terminal and upgrade its infrastructure, equipment,
and technology, including the installation of four modern ship-to-shore cranes.
These investments aim to increase operational capacity, improve
container-handling efficiency, and reduce vessel turnaround time.
The company is also planning to invest approximately USD 1
billion in Bangladesh’s ports and logistics sector, reflecting its strong
interest in expanding its investment presence and supporting the development of
the country’s logistics infrastructure.
The company has also expressed strong interest in expanding
its investment footprint in Bangladesh’s transport and logistics sector,
particularly in the maritime sector and major port infrastructure projects such
as Matarbari Deep Sea Port.
We view these projects as part of a long-term partnership
that can contribute to strengthening Bangladesh’s position as an important
regional trade and logistics hub.
06. What is
your target to reach bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia within
the next five years?
Answer: We do not look at bilateral trade simply in terms of
achieving a single numerical target. Our objective is to achieve sustainable
and balanced growth in bilateral trade and to diversify the range of goods and
services exchanged between the two countries.
According to available Saudi trade data, Saudi exports to
Bangladesh were approximately SAR 5.2 billion, equivalent to around USD 1.39
billion, in 2025, while Saudi imports from Bangladesh were approximately SAR
1.7 billion, equivalent to around USD 453 million.
Over the next five years, we would like to see a significant
expansion of opportunities for the private sectors of both countries, including
greater Bangladeshi exports to the Saudi market, increased Saudi exports to
Bangladesh, and stronger links between trade, investment, industry, and
logistics.
We believe there is considerable potential to increase
bilateral trade substantially beyond its current level by making better use of
the complementary strengths and opportunities available in both countries.
07. The KSA
government has been empowering women in different sectors. The participation of
Saudi women in KSA in different sectors has been on rise. How do you see the
participation of Saudi women in recent times?
Answer: The growing participation
of Saudi women is one of the important developments in Saudi Arabia’s economic
and social transformation and is an integral part of the objectives of Saudi
Vision 2030.
The participation of Saudi women in the labour market has
increased significantly in recent years. Women are now increasingly represented
across a wide range of sectors, including business, finance, education,
healthcare, technology, tourism, entrepreneurship, and leadership positions.
We are witnessing Saudi women making an increasingly visible
contribution to the Kingdom’s economic development and to the diversification
of the national economy.
This development reflects Saudi Arabia’s commitment to making
full use of the country’s human potential and to providing opportunities for
women to contribute actively to national development.
08. The
Bangladesh government has been working to attract foreign direct investment in
the country over the last 10-12 years. Do you see more KSA investment in
Bangladesh, particularly in the power and energy sectors? How do you evaluate
the investment climate in Bangladesh?
Answer: Yes. We see significant potential for further Saudi
investment in Bangladesh, particularly in sectors such as energy, renewable
energy, infrastructure, transport and logistics, healthcare, technology, and
food security.
Saudi investors are increasingly looking beyond traditional
areas of cooperation and exploring opportunities in sectors that can support
Bangladesh’s long-term economic development.
At the same time, attracting sustainable, long-term
investment requires a stable and predictable investment environment, efficient
and transparent procedures, timely government approvals, reliable
infrastructure and energy supply, and effective protection for investors.
We welcome the efforts being undertaken by the Government of
Bangladesh to improve the investment climate and streamline procedures. Further
progress in these areas will help create greater opportunities for Saudi and
other international investors.
The potential for stronger Saudi investment is considerable,
provided that the opportunities are supported by appropriate regulatory
frameworks and a conducive business environment.
09. What is
the number of Bangladeshis living in your country? How do your government evaluate
their contributions to your country?
Answer: Saudi Arabia hosts a very large Bangladeshi
community, with around four million Bangladeshis working and residing in the
Kingdom across a wide range of sectors. Saudi Arabia remains the largest
destination for Bangladeshi workers.
For decades, Bangladeshi nationals have contributed to
various sectors of the Saudi economy and have become an important part of the
people-to-people relationship between our two countries.
The Kingdom values their contributions and remains committed
to ensuring that workers operate within the framework of Saudi laws and
regulations and that their rights are protected.
At the same time, remittances sent by Bangladeshi workers
make an important contribution to Bangladesh’s economy. This demonstrates the
mutually beneficial nature of cooperation between our two countries in the
field of human resources and employment.
10.
Developing countries, including Bangladesh, are becoming victims of climate
change. How do KSA and Bangladesh work together on climate change issues? Do
you think developed countries should give compensation to developing countries?
Answer: Climate change is a global challenge that requires
genuine international cooperation. Developing countries, including Bangladesh,
face serious challenges from rising sea levels, floods, cyclones, and other
climate-related impacts.
Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh can strengthen cooperation in
areas such as renewable energy, green technologies, water management,
afforestation, land rehabilitation, and building resilience and adaptive
capacity.
Saudi Arabia has placed considerable emphasis on
environmental sustainability and climate action through initiatives such as the
Saudi Green Initiative and the Middle East Green Initiative.
With regard to climate finance, we believe that developed
countries, developing countries, and the international community as a whole
have shared responsibilities in supporting countries that are particularly
vulnerable to climate change.
