Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan Al Saud arrived in Dhaka on a brief official visit Tuesday evening. Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen received his Saudi counterpart at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at around 6:07pm. Read: Saudi FM due Tuesday; meetings with PM, FM Wednesday Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen and Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Essa Yussef Essa Al Dulaihan were also present. In his less than 24-hour visit at the invitation of Momen, the Saudi Foreign Minister will meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Gonobhaban on Wednesday morning, according to his programme schedule. The Foreign Minister will hold a “tete-a-tete” with his Saudi counterpart at a city hotel the same day which will be followed by bilateral “political consultation” between the two countries at the same venue.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan Al Saud will arrive in Dhaka on March 16 to hold talks with government leaders on identifying the potential areas of his country’s big investments in Bangladesh. He is coming at the invitation of Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen and will have bilateral meeting with him on March 16. The Saudi foreign minister is likely to meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during his visit apart from other engagements. Read:Bangladesh shares updated info on continental shelf in Bay with UN Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Essa Yussef Essa Al Dulaihan briefed media at the Embassy on Wednesday highlighting various aspects of the relations including Saudi investors’ desire to invest “extensively” in Bangladesh. Engineering Dimensions, a Saudi Arabian Enterprise, has confirmed $1.8 billion investment in Bangladeshi, said the envoy. He said Saudi Arabia is mulling establishing a special economic zone and considering scopes to invest in the construction of rail links connecting Dhaka and Payra port, including the development of Cox’s Bazar as an international tourist destination. The ambassador said Saudi ACWA Power has already announced to invest $ 600 million to build 700 MW power plant and proposed a total $ 3.5 billion investment in Bangladesh. He said Saudi Red Sea Gateway Terminal wants to invest $ 1.2 billion in Bangladesh, said the envoy. Earlier, Public Private Partnership Authority (PPPA) of Bangladesh said the Saudi Ministry of Investment will soon send a delegation to Bangladesh to explore investment opportunities in the PPP projects.

Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Issa bin Youssef Al-Duhailan on Sunday said they are considering those Rohingyas as Bangladeshis who have been to Saudi Arabia with Bangladeshi passports.