On Monday (July 6), Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to Dhaka, Dr. Abdullah Jafar H. bin Abia, handed over the Crown Prince's invitation letter to the Prime Minister during a courtesy meeting at the Secretariat.
Later, at an emergency press conference organized at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Prime Minister's Foreign Affairs Adviser, Humayun Kabir, confirmed the matter.
He said, the Saudi Crown Prince has invited Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to visit Saudi Arabia. At the same time, through the ambassador, he has also expressed interest in visiting Bangladesh. The visit will take place at a mutually convenient time.
Humayun Kabir said, Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia have historically very close and friendly relations. The government wants to further strengthen this relationship and elevate it to the level of a strategic partnership. This will add a new dimension to the cooperation between the two countries.
He further said, both the invitation to the Prime Minister to visit Saudi Arabia and the Crown Prince's interest in visiting Bangladesh reflect the depth and mutual trust of the relationship between the two countries.
When asked about the possible schedule of the Prime Minister's visit to Saudi Arabia, Humayun Kabir said, the invitation has been accepted. However, the specific date of the visit has not been finalized yet. The timing will be determined through mutual discussions. The Prime Minister's visit to Saudi Arabia may take place after the end of the summer season.