Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia have strong potential for deeper economic partnership: BB governor

Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia have immense potential to strengthen economic cooperation as their economies complement each other in labour, trade, and investment, said Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Ahsan H Mansur.

He made the remarks today (7 October) while speaking at the Saudi Arabia-Bangladesh Business Summit 2025 and the official launch of the Saudi Arabia–Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industries (SABCCI) in Dhaka.

"There is strong scope for cooperation in energy, trade, and investment, given that Bangladesh needs energy and capital, while Saudi Arabia has both in abundance," Dr Mansur said. 

"We can export goods like textiles and other products which could find a strong market in Saudi Arabia," he added.

Dr Mansur, who previously served with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and worked closely with Gulf economies, recalled his early involvement in establishing Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) in the early 2000s.

"I noticed that PIF has been investing substantially in South Asia, particularly in India, but not yet in Bangladesh," he said. 

"My humble suggestion is that Saudi public and private funds should also come to Bangladesh," he urged. 

The central bank governor described Bangladesh as a "resilient and dynamic" economy that has maintained positive growth for three decades despite numerous global and domestic challenges.

"Despite many shocks - natural, political, and global - our growth has never turned negative. The private sector remains the engine of growth," he said.

He also stressed the importance of enhanced financial cooperation to make remittance transfers more efficient and affordable for Bangladeshi migrant workers in Saudi Arabia.

Dr Mansur expressed optimism that the newly formed SABCCI would serve as a bridge to strengthen business-to-business and investor-to-investor linkages between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia.