Home adviser, Saudi envoy discuss ways to strengthen bilateral ties
Jahangir Alam Chowdhury asked Saudi envoy to recruit more Bangladeshi workers, hoping that this would help further strengthen bilateral relations
Home Adviser Lieutenant General Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury (retd) called for further strengthening bilateral relations with Saudi Arabia while receiving a courtesy call from Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Dr Abdullah Zafer H Bin Abiyah yesterday.
Welcoming the ambassador, the home adviser said Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia are close friendly countries and that Saudi Arabia holds a special place in the hearts of the Bangladeshi people, according to a press release.
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"It is not only the land of Islam's holy sites, but also a second home to more than 3.2 million Bangladeshi expatriate workers," he said, adding that their contribution continues to play an important role in Bangladesh's economy.
He requested the ambassador to consider recruiting more workers from Bangladesh, expressing hope that this would help further strengthen bilateral relations.
The meeting discussed progress in issuing Bangladeshi passports to around 69,000 Rohingyas living in Saudi Arabia, manpower export, expansion of bilateral trade and commerce, preparations for Bangladesh's national election, and Bangladesh's participation in the World Defense Show scheduled to be held in Saudi Arabia.
Responding to the ambassador's query on Rohingya passport issuance, the home adviser said there has been notable progress. "The Bangladesh mission in Saudi Arabia and the Department of Immigration and Passports are working fully on the matter," he said.
He added that special teams have been sent from the Ministry of Home Affairs to speed up the process, but noted that attendance for passport enrolment remains low compared to the number of applications received. He said the issue has already been conveyed to Saudi Arabia's interior minister.
When asked about election preparations, the home adviser said the Election Commission is responsible for conducting the polls, while the Ministry of Home Affairs is tasked with maintaining law and order.
"We are fully prepared," he said, adding that law enforcement agencies have been trained ahead of the election and that a circular has been issued on their deployment. Operations to recover illegal and looted weapons have also been intensified, alongside regular drives, including "Devil Hunt Phase-2".
During the meeting, the ambassador invited Bangladesh to participate in the World Defense Show to be held in Riyadh from 8 to 14 February 2026 and handed over an invitation letter from Saudi Arabia's interior minister.
The home adviser said he would be unable to attend the event due to the 13th national parliamentary election scheduled for 12 February 2026, but confirmed that a suitable representative would be sent.
