Saudi Minister for Hajj and Umrah Dr. Tawfig bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah on Wednesday said the signing of the MoU on air services between the two countries would lead to the reduction of cost for the passengers from Bangladesh to Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi side further elaborated on their plans on future Hajj and Umrah cooperation and expressed the desire to promote Bangladesh as a tourist destination for the Saudis.

The visiting Saudi delegation led by Minister Dr Tawfiq held a bilateral meeting with State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md. Shahriar Alam at the State Guest House Padma in Dhaka.

Appreciating Bangladesh’s recent economic gains as the top in South Asia, the Saudi Minister informed the meeting about new initiatives undertaken by the Saudi government to facilitate and ease the performance of the Hajj and Umrah issues.

They also highlighted the programme of Road to Makkah, issuing a four-day transit visa for Bangladeshi passengers travelling through Saudi Arabia via Saudi national carriers including Saudia and NAS and withdrawing restrictions on single female travellers performing Umrah.

Both sides exchanged views on various aspects of the bilateral relations while appreciating the existing brotherly and warm relations between the countries, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Welcoming the Minister and his delegation, the State Minister stated that this was the third consecutive visit from the Kingdom to Dhaka this year which reflected the ever-deepening mark of the bilateral engagement in recent times.

Read: Sky is the limit, Saudi minister says on opportunities in Bangladesh

He apprised the meeting on Bangladesh’s recent development and socio-economic progress under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and sought more Saudi investment in various sectors in Bangladesh.

The State Minister recalled the high-level visits by the Prime Minister and Saudi support in hosting the largest diaspora in Saudi Arabia from Bangladesh.

He also touched on various sectoral collaboration areas including trade and investment, connectivity, defence etc. and proposed new avenues of cooperation in food security through contract farming and reiterated Bangladesh's offer to contribute to the implementation of the Saudi Green Initiative under Saudi Vision 2030.

The Saudi Minister appreciated the role of Bangladeshi workers in the economic development of both Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia.

The State Minister sought Saudi Arabia’s support for a viable solution to the Rohingya crisis. The Minister greatly appreciated Bangladesh’s humanitarian gesture and assistance for the displaced Rohingyas.

The State Minister commended Saudi Arabia for the implementation of its Vision 2030 under the visionary leadership of Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman and hoped that the Crown Prince would undertake the much-awaited state visit to Bangladesh soon.

Read: Saudi support to Bangladesh's socio-economic dev to continue: Saudi Minister

Earlier on Wednesday morning, the Saudi Hajj and Umrah Minister, paid a courtesy call to the President and held a meeting with the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

Later in the afternoon, the delegation had a meeting with the Minister for Civil Aviation & Tourism.

During the meeting, a MoU on air services between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia was inked.

The 150-member Saudi delegation included President of the General Authority of Civil Aviation, President of Saudia Airlines, Chief Executive of Saudi Tourism Authority,  Deputy Minister for International Cooperation of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and CEO of Pilgrim Experience Program. From Bangladesh side, the Secretary (Maritime Affairs Unit), Director Generals of West Asia and Myanmar Wings of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Counsellor of Bangladesh Hajj office in Jeddah, and other officials were present during the meeting.

The Saudi delegation arrived in Dhaka on Tuesday on a three-day official visit to Bangladesh.

The delegation was received by the State Minister for Religious Affairs and senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism.

Read: Bangladeshis can perform Umrah with transit visa: Saudi Hajj Minister