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Saudi foreign minister arrives in Dhaka

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Saudi foreign minister arrives in Dhaka

BANGLADESH

TBS Report
15 March, 2022, 06:25 pm
Last modified: 15 March, 2022, 06:59 pm

The Saudi foreign minister is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday
Saudi foreign minister arrives in Dhaka


Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan Al Saud arrived in Dhaka today on a brief visit.

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen received his Saudi counterpart at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around at 6:07pm Tuesday.

Foreign Secretary (senior secretary) Masood bin Momen, Bangladesh Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Mohammad Jabed Patwari, Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Issa bin Youssef Al-Dahilan and foreign ministry officials were present at the airport.

Minister Momen will host a dinner in honour of the Saudi foreign minister at a city hotel tonight.

A bilateral talk will be held at Hotel Sonargaon in Dhaka on Wednesday morning.

In his less than 24-hour visit at the invitation of Foreign Minister Momen, the Saudi foreign minister will also meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday, according to his program schedule.

The Saudi foreign minister will leave Dhaka on Wednesday afternoon.

 
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I understand there will be talks on the investment opportunities of Saudi companies here.
 
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Which never comes to fruition. I think in 2010-2015 the Saudi said they wanted to invest 30 billions. I think these Saudi s do it to get whined and dinner by bdesh gov for free.
For BD people, investment is just one single word with an answer of yes or no. However, investment materialization takes a long time, especially for SA with very little experience to investment abroad. Moreover, the investments are decided by the private companies. SA govt only represents them.

FDIs need correct environment in the host country, if infrastructures like roads & accesses, drainage system, sewerage system, potable water supply system, telephone/ fax/ internet system etc. in the factory site are not in place, no one will invest.

So, the gob must expedite with these works before a company finds reasons to invest.
 
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Bangladesh eyes big investment deals as Saudi FM arrives in Dhaka​

SHEHAB SUMON
15 March 2022
631

Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan is welcomed to Dhaka. (SPA)
Short Url
  • Projects worth billions of dollars to be discussed during visit: Bangladesh Investment Development Authority
  • Major schemes related to energy, aviation, port management, construction sectors
DHAKA: Bangladesh was hopeful of signing a number of major investment deals with Saudi Arabia during a two-day visit to Dhaka by the Kingdom’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, officials said on Tuesday.

The prince flew into the Bangladeshi capital on Tuesday afternoon and was scheduled to meet the country’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday and lay the foundation stone for the Arabic Language Institute of the Islamic Arabic University in Dhaka.

Sirazul Islam, executive chairman of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority, said projects worth billions of dollars would be discussed during Prince Faisal’s trip.

“Most of the Saudi Investment proposals are involving the public sector. Further investments from Saudi Arabia will depend mostly on our success of handling the investment proposals in the pipeline,” Islam added.

“At the moment we can’t exactly predict the volume of investment as it depends on the success of discussions. But we hope it will be billions (of dollars) and there will be a whole gamut of discussions.”

The projects are related to oil refineries, gas transmission, fertilizer production, aviation, port management, construction, and hospitality.

Islam said that among the Saudi companies that had expressed interest in investing in Bangladesh were oil giant Aramco, transformer producer Engineering Dimensions, utility provider ACWA Power, industrial conglomerate Al-Fanar Group, and Al-Hokair Group, one of the largest entertainment and hospitality firms in the Middle East.

The Bangladesh Foreign Ministry’s director general for West Asia, Iqbal Hussain, told Arab News that the Bangladeshi government would be seeking to strengthen its ties with the Kingdom during the prince’s visit.

“We are looking for stronger political and investment ties with the Kingdom as both countries have very good bilateral relationships,” he said, adding that Bangladesh was preparing more than 100 special economic zones for potential investors. “Seeking investment from the Kingdom will be one of our top issues as there is an ongoing campaign to attract more and more foreign investment in the country.”

Dhaka was also hopeful of increasing the number of migrant workers it sends to Saudi Arabia, which is Bangladesh’s main labor market and already hosts more than 2.5 million Bangladeshi expats.

Migrant workers are the second-largest contributor of Bangladesh’s foreign remittances, after the garment sector.

“Saudi Arabia is the largest market for Bangladeshi migrants,” Hussain said. “There is demand for Bangladeshi migrants in the Kingdom and we are ready to export more workers in all skilled and unskilled categories.”

 
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Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia sit for talks on investment, military support​

Published: March 16, 2022 12:41:24

Bangladesh Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen speaks with his visiting Saudi Arabian counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud at Dhaka’s Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel on Wednesday, Mar 16, 2022. Photo: Bangladesh Ministry of Foreign Affairs


Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia are engaged in talks on a number of issues including commerce, investment and military support.

The high-level dialogue began at Dhaka’s Pan Pacific Sonargaon hotel on Wednesday with a Saudi delegation led by the kingdom’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, reports bdnews24.com.

His counterpart AK Abdul Momen is leading the Bangladeshi delegation.

The two foreign ministers met one-on-one at the same location before the joint consultation.

“We are committed to a stable oil market,” Prince Faisal said in response to a question from the media regarding the smooth supply of oil to Bangladesh following the meeting.

“There is no concern regarding the supply of oil.”
Following the talks, Prince Faisal will launch the construction of an Arabic Language Institute in Keraniganj via videoconferencing.

He is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the afternoon before leaving for the Gulf state.

Officials said Saudi investment in Bangladesh, military cooperation, passport for Rohingya refugees in Saudi Arabia and other bilateral issues will be discussed in the meetings.

Bangladesh had signed an MoU on military cooperation with the kingdom in 2019. Officials said the two sides will discuss the enhancement of that cooperation.

Bangladesh will also discuss Saudi Arabia’s labour market, the largest for Bangladeshi workers.

“Besides these, we want investment from them,” said Mashfi Binte Shams, secretary to foreign affairs (East).

“Trade, investment, manpower export and security will be discussed. We also expect one agreement and one MoU to be signed.”

Saudi Arabia has been pushing Bangladesh to issue passports for Rohingya refugees, who travelled to the Gulf kingdom from Bangladesh after fleeing decades of persecution in Buddhist-majority Myanmar.

Since the 1980s, 68,000 such Rohingya refugees have taken shelter in Saudi Arabia, according to the Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Issa bin Youssef Al-Duhailan.

Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia have also formed a high-level committee on the issue.

Foreign Minister Momen had dismissed reports in 2020 that Riyadh was pressuring Dhaka to issue passports for the Rohingya refugees.

He, however, had said people who went to Saudi Arabia with Bangladeshi passports will be able to renew their papers.

 
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PM seeks larger Saudi investment in Bangladesh​


BSS
16 Mar 2022, 13:13
Update : 16 Mar 2022, 14:20

image-50562-1647416106.jpg

DHAKA, March 16, 2022 (BSS) - Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today sought larger investment of Saudi Arabia particularly in the special economic zones of Bangladesh.

"I welcome the Saudi Arabia's investment in Bangladesh," she said.

The premier said this while the visiting Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan al Saud called on her at the latter's official Ganabhaban residence here.

PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed the newsmen after the meeting.

The prime minister hoped that the Saudi Arabia's investors would avail the opportunities prevailing in Bangladesh.

"Bangladesh is ready to extend support to (the Saudi Arabia's) investors that include allocating dedicated land for them in the special economic zones,"

she said, adding her government has been establishing 100 special economic zones across the country.

Sheikh Hasina expressed her satisfaction over existing bilateral relations with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).

She said, "Bilateral cooperation has extended and was consolidated in many areas that included economy, trade, commerce, investment, energy, education, culture and defense".

At the meeting, the Saudi Arabia's foreign minister said that many companies of his country are keen to make investment in Bangladesh's energy sector particularly in the renewable energy.

He also said that many Bangladeshi workers have been contributing to the global economy.

Faisal bin Farhan al Saud praised the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the commendable economic development of Bangladesh.

Describing Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia's relations as a "strong bond of friendships" he said, "This will grow from strength to strength in the days
to come."

The KSA foreign minister said their priority is to enhance further economic cooperation exploring new areas.

He also hoped to work together with Bangladesh on various global agenda.

The prime minister said the Saudi Arabia has a special place in the hearts of the people of Bangladesh.

Sheikh Hasina conveyed her greetings to Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud.

The prime minister appreciated Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the custodians of the two holy mosques, for his contribution to the Muslim Ummah.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, Ambassador At Large M Ziauddin, Prime
Minister's Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus, Bangladesh Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Dr Javed Patwary and Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Essa Yussef Essa Al Dulaihan were present at the meeting.

 
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For BD people, investment is just one single word with an answer of yes or no. However, investment materialization takes a long time, especially for SA with very little experience to investment abroad. Moreover, the investments are decided by the private companies. SA govt only represents them.

FDIs need correct environment in the host country, if infrastructures like roads & accesses, drainage system, sewerage system, potable water supply system, telephone/ fax/ internet system etc. in the factory site are not in place, no one will invest.

So, the gob must expedite with these works before a company finds reasons to invest.


Almost home grown companies in ksa are state owned or state backed
 
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Almost home grown companies in ksa are state owned or state backed
Yes, there are a few large companies owned by the SA govt. But, there are also hundreds others privately owned companies there.

I have not checked which types of these companies are interested to invest in BD. But my point is whatever may be the ownership category, a company cannot invest unless the infrastructures are built in the factories that I have mentioned in my previous post.

It is irrelevant if these are state or privately owned. So, why do you have to cite this tiny thing?
 
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For BD people, investment is just one single word with an answer of yes or no. However, investment materialization takes a long time, especially for SA with very little experience to investment abroad. Moreover, the investments are decided by the private companies. SA govt only represents them.

FDIs need correct environment in the host country, if infrastructures like roads & accesses, drainage system, sewerage system, potable water supply system, telephone/ fax/ internet system etc. in the factory site are not in place, no one will invest.

So, the gob must expedite with these works before a company finds reasons to invest.


It doesn't stop other countries and companies investing in bdesh but the Saudis talk the big talk.
 
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BD is probably paying lip-service due to their oil and gas wealth.

Keep them sweet while BD develops itself into a modern and prosperous state.

Gulf Arabs will forever remain backwards.
 
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If you think about it, they need to actually merge at least with their brethen in the other Gulf states for a start to even have a chance of forming a modern state.

Currently they are nothing more than legal entities run by families and you cannot create an actual nation out of that.

Eh, this is a complex topic beyond the scope of this thread.

I wish Muslims well wherever they are.

But I am disappointed in so many things regarding the Gulf Arabs.

But then again are WE any better?

Self preservation is the name of the game friend.
 
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Eh, this is a complex topic beyond the scope of this thread.

I wish Muslims well wherever they are.

But I am disappointed in so many things regarding the Gulf Arabs.

But then again are WE any better?

Self preservation is the name of the game friend.



That is why BD is paying them lip-service as regards these investment proposals.

While they should be wished well, let us not kid ourselves and think they are real and serious nation states like Turkey and Iran.

Turkey soon(5-10 years) and maybe Iran in the future once the world is multi-polar will be more important to BD than the Gulf Arabs for sure.
 
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