The delegation, which has come at the invitation of the Shoura Council, interacted with OIC Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu.

Bazlul Haque Haroon, MP and leader of the delegation, told Arab News that the visiting group earlier toured Riyadh at a time when both the Kingdom and Bangladesh agreed to cooperate with each other to promote activities in political, commercial, investment and cultural areas. The OIC is committed to playing a positive and active role in Bangladesh's ongoing progress, Ihsanoglu reportedly said.

The delegation apprised the OIC of the good parliamentary practices that Bangladesh was pursuing in strengthening its democracy.

"Democracy is now deep-rooted in Bangladesh and is being strengthened under the rule of Bangladesh Prime Minister Hasina Wajed," Haroon said.

Being members of the OIC, both Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia are committed to strengthening their bilateral cooperation in all fields of activity, he said, adding that he extended an invitation to Ihsanoglu to visit his country.

Haroon had a word of praise for the Kingdom for making elaborate arrangements for pilgrims from Bangladesh and other parts of the world.

He hoped that this visit, the first of its kind by a parliamentary delegation from his country, would further strengthen the Saudi-Bangladesh Parliamentary Friendship Committee.

Bangladesh Consul General Nazmul Islam, and Counselor Labor M. Emdadul Haque and Mohammad Ziaul Islam Shahin, network administrator and data base expert, both at the Bangladesh consulate, accompanied the delegation. The visitors also performed Umrah and visited the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah.