HSBC hosts event celebrating Saudia's 46 years in Bangladesh

The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC) Bangladesh has celebrated Saudia's 46 years of operations in Bangladesh and the airline's long-standing banking partnership with HSBC.

The event, titled "Powering Global Connectivity", was held at a hotel in Dhaka, according to a press release.

Saudia, the national flag carrier of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, operates 32 weekly flights and is the largest foreign airline operating in Bangladesh, the release said.

For more than four decades, the airline has connected Bangladesh with Saudi Arabia, carrying millions of passengers, including pilgrims, expatriate workers, business travellers and tourists.

Afroza Khanam, MP, Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism, attended the event as chief guest.

Dr Abdullah Ibn Dhafer Ibn Ubayya, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Bangladesh, and Tanvir Ghani, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Investment and Capital Market Affairs at the Prime Minister's Office, attended as special guests.

Mohammed Alsilimani, AVP Treasury and Taxation at Saudia, attended as guest of honour.

Salman A Alali, Saudia Country Manager in Bangladesh, and Md Mahbub ur Rahman, Chief Executive Officer of HSBC Bangladesh, were also present.

The event recognised six organisations and stakeholders for their contributions to air connectivity, international trade, Hajj and Umrah travel, and financial collaboration between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia.

Recognition was presented to the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh, Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Foreign Exchange Operation Department of Bangladesh Bank, Padma Oil PLC, United Link Ltd and First Forwarding Ltd.

Afroza Khanam said Bangladesh's aviation industry was an important driver of economic growth and international connectivity.

"The strong partnership between Saudia and HSBC demonstrates how collaboration between a world-class airline and a leading international bank can support the growth of the aviation sector and create new opportunities for Bangladesh," she said.

Salman A Alali thanked the Government of Bangladesh for its cooperation and regulatory support, and the Saudi Embassy for its assistance in advancing Saudia's operations in the country.

"Saudia remains fully committed to the Bangladesh market and is proud of its strong partnership with HSBC," he said.

"Together, we are powering global connectivity, strengthening economic ties and delivering seamless travel experiences that connect people, businesses and opportunities worldwide."

Mohammed Alsilimani said the partnership brought together two organisations with a shared vision of connecting people, businesses and opportunities.

"We look forward to supporting the continued growth of Bangladesh's international aviation sector through this collaboration," he added.

Md Mahbub ur Rahman said HSBC's long-standing partnership with Saudia across more than 40 countries demonstrated the strength of the bank's international network in connecting key growth corridors, particularly between the Middle East and Asia.

"As passenger and trade demand rises in Bangladesh, HSBC leverages its specialised banking expertise in the airline segment and deep local market presence to support Saudia's operational expansion, reinforcing seamless global connectivity for Bangladesh," he said.

HSBC provides airlines worldwide with transaction banking, treasury, trade finance, foreign exchange, liquidity management and cross-border financial services.

The bank said it was supporting Saudia's operations in Bangladesh with comprehensive banking solutions to strengthen international connectivity and create new opportunities for the country.