Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has offered land in the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabi (KSA) and sought more investment in Bangladesh of the oil-rich country.

"We want more Saudi investment in Bangladesh," she said when a nine-member Saudi delegation, led by visiting Saudi Minister of Commerce Dr Majeed bin Abdullah Alkussabi, called on her at Ganobhaban, Dhaka, on Friday (10 March).

The premier's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed the newsmen after the meeting. Sheikh Hasina also proposed Saudi Arabia set up a refinery in Bangladesh where all kinds of oil including crude oil can be refined.

During the meeting, they discussed the enhancement of business in both countries for mutual interest. The KSA minister said key investors of his country are keen to invest in Bangladesh, particularly in the renewable energy sector.

In this context, he urged the prime minister to make ease the investment process in Bangladesh by addressing the bureaucratic delay.

The premier, in reply, said she had already asked the officials concerned to take the required steps to make ease and quick the investment process.

She said they are huge markets in neighbouring countries, adding that her government has been working to ease and smooth the transportation of goods by setting up connectivity on all the ways that include waterways.

The premier said they are dredging the rivers to enhance navigability to revive the waterways. her government, she said, wants to build an Arabic language institute to facilitate Bangladeshi workers to know Arabic language well before going to KSA.

She said her country is eagerly waiting to receive the KSA Crown Prince when the Saudi minister said their Crown Prince is interested to visit Bangladesh. The Saudi minister invited Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to offer Omrah.

The Saudi minister highly praised Bangladesh's remarkable progress and development under the dynamic leadership of Sheikh Hasina. The premier also appreciated the first development of Saudi Arabia.

Talking about the Rohingya crisis, the KSA minister described Sheikh Hasina as the Mother of Humanity.

Dr Majeed bin Abdullah Alkussabi said there is enormous potential for Saudi investment in Bangladesh, saying, "We can share our experience in the field of business with Bangladesh."

He said in the last 10 months as many as 6.50 lakh Bangladeshi jobseekers went to the country.
 
Prime minister's Private Industry and Investment Affairs Adviser Salman Fazlur Rahman, Principal Secretary Md Tofazzel Hossain Miah, Senior Secretary of the Commerce Ministry Tapan Kanti Ghosh and Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Essa bin Yousef Al Duhailan were present, among others.