Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today asked to expedite implementation of Kuwait’s proposal to set up a petroleum refinery in Bangladesh.

She said this while Kuwait Ambassador to Bangladesh Faisal Mutlaq Aladwani called on her at her official residence Ganabhaban.

PM’s press secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters after the meeting.

Last year, Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah expressed his country’s interest to build a petroleum refinery in Bangladesh and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina agreed to provide them land for that purpose.

PM Hasina also asked to hold a meeting of the concerned joint commission as soon as possible.

She said that Bangladesh and Kuwait have special relations. The relationship was initiated by the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman soon after independence, she added.

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The PM appreciated Kuwait’s support to Bangladesh’s development programme. She particularly recalled Kuwait’s contribution to Bangladesh’s forex reserves in 1996 when Awami League came to power after election, and the assistance was repaid later.

The prime minister said that Bangladeshis working in Kuwait are contributing to the economies of both Kuwait and Bangladesh.

She conveyed her regards to the Amir of Kuwait.

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Aside from discussing the petroleum refinery, the Kuwaiti ambassador said that his country will assist Bangladesh in development projects. Ambassador at Large M Ziauddin and senior secretary of PMO Md. Tofazzel Hossain Miah were present at the meeting.