Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on Sunday expressed intent to take the kingdom’s relations with Bangladesh to a new height.
Salman was speaking at a bilateral meeting with Bangladesh prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, at Al-Salam palace in Jeddah, a diplomat present in the meeting said.
Describing Bangladesh as an important country in the Muslim world, Salman recognised the big role and contribution of Bangladesh towards ensuring global peace, progress and stability.
Sheikh Hasina told the Saudi king that Bangladesh is committed to working with Saudi Arabia for promoting peace, stability and development of the world.
She is in the Arab country on a five-day official visit from Friday.
They also discussed the role of the Saudi-led 34-member ‘centre’ to contain terrorism and violent extremism. Sheikh Hasina expressed Bangladesh’s intent to play an active role in the centre, officials said.
Foreign minister AH Mahmood Ali said in Dhaka on Wednesday that Bangladesh ‘may consider’ to
send troops to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia under the Saudi-led alliance if the ‘security of two mosques’ is threatened.
The two leaders also discussed bilateral relations and prospects of cooperation between the two countries in various fields, Saudi Press Agency reported. Latest regional and international developments were reviewed in the meeting.
Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, Makkah region’s governor prince Khalid Al-Faisal, finance minister Ibrahim bin Abdulaziz Al-Assaf, finance minister Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir, Saudi ambassador to Bangladesh Abdullah bin Hajjaj Al-Mutairi, among others, accompanied the king in the meeting.
Sheikh Hasina was accompanied, among others, by foreign minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali and foreign secretary M Shahidul Haque at the meeting.
Bangladesh ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ghulam Moshi told New Age over phone that the two countries signed an agreement on holding regular foreign secretary-level Foreign Office Consultation between the two countries.
Earlier, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation secretary general Iyad bin Amin Madani and Sheikh Talal bin Ahmad Al Aqeel, advisor to the Saudi Minister of Islamic Affairs and Endowments, separately called on the Bangladesh Prime Minister at the Royal Conference Palace in Jeddah.
At a function on Saturday night, prime minister also unveiled a plaque laying the foundation stone of the Bangladesh Chancery Building in Riyadh. PM’s principal secretary Md Abul Kalam Azad and press secretary Ihsanul Karim, among others, were present.
Source: New Age
