RIYADH, 26 March 2005 — The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh enjoy deep rooted relations built on common culture, faith cordiality, friendship and mutual understanding, observed the Bangladesh Ambassador Maj. Gen. (Retd.) S.M. Ikramul Haque.
“Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia share common hopes and aspirations and have identical views on major political and economic issues in the international area ,” Haque said, adding that frequent exchange of high-level visits between the two countries have further boosted the existing ties.
Following a landslide victory in October 2001, Prime Minister Khaleda Zia paid an official visit to the Kingdom to meet the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd. “This was a landmark visit since the two leaders agreed to widen the cooperation in several new areas,” the envoy said. He recalled that her maiden visit following her assumption of duties as premier indicates the priority shown by Bangladesh to the Kingdom.
“We recognize the Kingdom as the leader of the Islamic world and we also appreciate the fact that it has stood with our country through thick and thin,” the ambassador said. So far, the Kingdom has given financial assistance for SR one billion to Bangladesh which includes SR 700 million as grants for its natural calamities and SR 300 million for procurement of raw materials and to settle balance of payments.
The first official contact between the heads of state took place in July 1977 when the former Bangladesh President Ziaur Rahman paid an official visit to the Kingdom. The joint Economic Commission between the two countries was established when the Saudi minister of finance visited Dhaka in 1978.
Bangladesh imports of crude oil from the Kingdom has totaled $150 million while its exports to Saudi Arabia was valued at SR 20 million. The Saudi-Bangladesh Industrial Company (SABINCO), funded by the Saudi Fund For Development with a capital of $60 million, is functioning in Dhaka for the past 16 years. G-Telco, a Bangladeshi company has been in the Kingdom’s telecommunications sector for several years, building telecom towers, HF and VHF antenna towers and HV transmission towers.
Ever since Khaleda assumed office in 2001, the two countries have witnessed frequent exchange of visits from both ends. Bangladesh’s ministers of finance, agriculture, health and home affairs visited the Kingdom and this was reciprocated with visits of the chairman of the Kingdom Holding Company Prince Alwaleed ibn Talal and a Shoura Council delegation headed by its Chairman Sheikh Ibrahim Al-Humeid.
Earlier, the Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General Prince Sultan and Foreign Minister Saud Al-Faisal had also visited Dhaka on two separate occasions.
Bangladesh’s Finance Minister Mohamed Saifur Rahman who was in the Kingdom early this year finalized a deal with the Islamic Development Bank for the construction of a telecommunication project through submarine cables valued at SR 225 million. The envoy hopes to strengthen the bilateral ties with new areas of cooperation in the health care sector.