Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Bangladesh, Dr. Abdullah Jafar bin Abiyah, paid a courtesy call on Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed at the ministry office in Dhaka on Monday. During the meeting, both sides discussed law and order, security issues, the issuance of Bangladeshi passports to 69,000 Rohingya living in Saudi Arabia, and ways to expand Saudi investment in Bangladesh’s tourism and energy sectors.

The home minister welcomed the ambassador and described Saudi Arabia as one of Bangladesh’s closest partners. He highlighted opportunities for cooperation beyond manpower export, urging officials to explore new areas of collaboration. The ambassador emphasized expediting the passport process for Rohingya residents, to which the minister responded that 22,000 passports had already been issued based on proper documentation. He warned that any corruption or irregularities in passport issuance would not be tolerated.

The ambassador invited the minister to visit Saudi Arabia with a high-level delegation to strengthen bilateral ties. The minister thanked him and indicated that a visit could take place in early July.