Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Monday urged Saudi Arabia to increase its investments in Bangladesh, highlighting opportunities for enhanced energy and economic cooperation between the two countries.

During a courtesy meeting with Saudi Ambassador Essa Youssef Essa Al Duhailan in Dhaka, Professor Yunus described the Bangladesh-Saudi relationship as ‘unique’ and urged the ambassador to convey his request to the Saudi government to consider depositing funds in Bangladesh’s central bank, which would provide valuable liquidity support for the nation.

He also called for concessional supply of energy and petroleum products, enhanced trade and increased Saudi investment in the training of the Bangladeshi young people so that Dhaka can send more skilled and trained workers to the oil-rich country.

Ambassador Al Duhailan acknowledged the contribution of the Bangladeshi diaspora in Saudi Arabia, saying that gaining more skills would help them earn a better salary and send more remittances back home.

Currently, nearly 3 million Bangladeshis are employed in the kingdom, sending billions of US dollars annually.

Ambassador Al Duhailan said that Saudi Arabia issues on average 5,000 visas to Bangladeshi migrants and Muslim pilgrims daily.

In 2023, about half a million Bangladeshis visited Saudi Arabia to perform umrah hajj, a 37 per cent increase from the previous year.

Ambassador Al Duhailan expressed Saudi Arabia’s keen interest in expanding investments in Bangladesh and requested support from the Chief Adviser’s office to facilitate proposed Saudi investments, particularly in the port and logistics sectors, with a focus on Matarbari Deep Sea Port, as well as in the power and renewable energy sectors through Acwa Power.

He handed over two letters from the Custodian of Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman congratulating the Chief Adviser on the occasion of Saudi national day.

‘My government wants to see stability in Bangladesh, and Inshallah is ready to support the Bangladesh government,’ said the Saudi Arabian ambassador.

He presented the Chief Adviser a copy of the Holy Quran and a replica of the falcon, the national bird of Saudi Arabia.