RIYADH: Bangladesh Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mohammed Shahriar Alam wrapped up a three-day visit to Jeddah on Wednesday, telling Arab News that he has made a request urging the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to consider expanding the services rendered by the Dhaka-based International Center for Diarrheal Disease Research.

“We have given two proposals: One is to expand its facilities and services to a large clientele of patients, or to replicate a similar project in other major cities in Bangladesh,” he said.

“Dedicated to saving lives through research and treatment, the center addresses some of the most critical health concerns facing the world today and helps solve significant public health challenges facing the people of Bangladesh and beyond, especially the most vulnerable through the generation of knowledge and its translation into policy and practice,” he noted.

The center is supported by about 55 donor countries and organizations, including the government of Bangladesh, UN specialized agencies, foundations, universities, research institutes and private sector organizations and companies.

During his stay in Jeddah, the visiting minister had bilateral talks with his counterpart Dr. Nizar Obaid Madani, state minister for foreign affairs; Jeddah Gov. Prince Mishaal bin Majed; OIC Secretary-General Iyad Madani and IDB President Ahmed Mohamed Ali.

During his meeting with the IDB president, Alam said Bangladesh offered to host the IDB board of governors meeting in Dhaka. He said the previous meeting was held in 1980.

During his meeting with the Jeddah governor, he said the two parties agreed to bring down the recruitment cost of the Bangladeshi workers to the Kingdom. The governor told the minister that Saudi sponsors are concerned over the increased cost of recruitment.

The minister promised that he would make arrangement to cut down the cost of middlemen and bring down the cost of recruitment from the present SR1,300 per head.

According to Ambassador Golam Moshi, Bangladesh missions have received 10,000 employment offers for Bangladeshi workers.

“Our workers are well trained in the agricultural field; they are capable of turning the deserts into green gardens,” he said. Bangladesh has some 1.2 million workers in the Kingdom.