Saudi Arabia has assured Bangladesh of resuming issuance of Umrah visa to Bangladeshi pilgrims after the coming Hajj season, and recruitment of workers in all sectors gradually, UNB news agency reports.
The state minister for foreign affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Dr Nizar bin Obaid Madani, said this in Jeddah on Monday mentioning that the government of Saudi Arabia attaches great importance to its relationship with Bangladesh, according to the foreign ministry of the Bangladesh government.
The Saudi statement also expressed its readiness to sign an MoU on Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) proposed by Bangladesh to further strengthen the relations between the two countries.
He said this at a bilateral meeting with state minister for foreign affairs M Shahriar Alam.
Shahriar Alam reached Jeddah on August 2 on a three-day official visit to Saudi Arabia. He was given a warm reception at Royal Terminal of the King Abdul Aziz Airport where he was greeted by the Director General and Chief of Protocol of the Makkah Branch of the Saudi foreign ministry.
During the bilateral meeting, the two state ministers discussed the whole gamut of bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia.
While extending thanks to the Saudi government for reopening the ‘Iqama’ transfer and facilitating the expatriate Bangladeshi nationals with the opportunity of changing professions in February 2014, Shahriar Alam requested the Saudi government to recruit more professionals, skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled workers from Bangladesh for various infrastructure and development projects in Saudi Arabia.
In response, the Saudi state minster informed that his government has already started recruiting Bangladeshi female domestic helpers and recruitment of workers for all other sectors would began gradually.
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.
The Bangladesh state minister is scheduled to meet the Governor of Jeddah, the secretary general of OIC and the president of IDB on Tuesday.
Source: Prothom Alo