ZCZC
BSS-15
PM-SALMAN-MEETING
Saudi Prince wants to be Bangladesh’s development partner
RIYADH, Oct 18, 2018 (BSS) – Saudi Crown Prince, Deputy Premier and Defense
Minister Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz has highly appreciated
Bangladesh’s tremendous development under the dynamic leadership of Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina, saying that he wants to be a part of that
development.
“I’m aware of stunning development that took place in Bangladesh at recent
time and I want to be a part of that uplift,” Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul
Haque quoted the Saudi Prince as saying while briefing reporters after
Salman’s meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday.
Salman, he said, asked his officials to go to Bangladesh and send experts
there so that they can know what is happening in Bangladesh.
“Then we will take decision that in which sectors Bangladesh needs
investment,” Salman said.
The foreign secretary said the meeting was held in a very warm and cordial
environment at Royal Palace in Riyadh last night. “He (Salman) was very
lively at the meeting that lasted for nearly 30 minutes,” Haque said.
When the prime minister invited the Crown Prince to visit Bangladesh, he
warmly accepted the invitation. “I will visit Bangladesh soon,” the Saudi
Prince said.
Sheikh Hasina stressed the need for unity in the Muslim world, saying “We
should not fight among ourselves, rather we should solve any problem
together”.
When the prime minister said she had visited Saudi Arabia for six times
since 2009, the Saudi Crown Prince described her as “half Saudi”.
“You’ve become ‘half Saudi’ as you had visited Saudi Arabia so many times,”
Salman said adding “it’s also your home”.
The Crown Prince echoed the views with the prime minister saying that “we
also want it and we also want that all stay in peace and make development”.
The Saudi Prince said a good collaboration is taking place in the defence
sector with Bangladesh. “I hope this collaboration in different sectors will
continue and be increased further,” she said.
During his meeting with the prime minister, the foreign secretary said,
Salman focused on two sectors – one is trade and investment and other is
defence sector.
Haque said: “We hope that a high-level Saudi delegation will soon visit
Bangladesh to explore cooperation in different sectors and the Kingdom will
make a big investment in Bangladesh”.
Saudi Arabia is very much interested to make more investment in Bangladesh,
the foreign secretary said.
The prime minister arrived in Riyadh on Tuesday on a four-day official
visit to Saudi Arabia at the invitation of the Saudi King and Custodian of
Two Holy Mosques Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
BSS/SH/MRI/1546 hrs