KSA issues 1.4m visas for Bangladeshis
Diplomatic Correspondent :
Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Dr Abdullah Zafer H bin Abiyah on Sunday said that his country has issued 750,000 work visas and altogether 1.4 million visas for Bangladeshi citizens in 2025.
“There is scope for skilled and semi-skilled workers to jobs in the Kingdom as many development works are going on there,” he said when he paid a courtesy call on Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman.
The Saudi ambassador said that in 2025 alone, the Kingdom issued around 750,000 work visas and a total of 1.4 million visas for Bangladeshi nationals.
In addition, the envoy conveyed greetings from his government and expressed Riyadh’s readiness to elevate the existing partnership into a more comprehensive relationship.
The Foreign Minister Dr Kalilur Rahman described Saudi Arabia as a trusted and longstanding partner.
He recalled that diplomatic ties were formally consolidated in 1976 with the establishment of the Bangladesh Embassy in the Kingdom during the presidency
of Ziaur Rahman, who also paid a historic visit to Saudi Arabia in 1977. Both sides acknowledged his role in promoting Muslim unity.
Dr. Rahman appreciated Saudi leadership for its efforts to promote peace and stability in the Middle East and across the Muslim world.
He also thanked the Kingdom for hosting a large number of Bangladeshi workers and highlighted the scope for expanding collaboration by leveraging the geostrategic positions of both countries.
With major development projects underway in the Kingdom, he said there remains significant demand for “skilled and semi-skilled workers” from Bangladesh.
The foreign minister also recalled Saudi Arabia’s support in facilitating the repatriation of nearly 200,000 Rohingyas in 1979 at Dhaka’s request.
He expressed gratitude for the Kingdom’s continued humanitarian assistance for around 1.2 million Rohingyas currently sheltered in Bangladesh and sought Riyadh’s support for their sustainable repatriation to Myanmar.
Earlier in the day, the Saudi ambassador also met State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam to congratulate her on her appointment.
She appreciated the reform initiatives undertaken by the Saudi leadership under Vision 2030 and reaffirmed Bangladesh’s interest in strengthening bilateral engagement.
Both sides reiterated their commitment to advancing Saudi Arabia–Bangladesh relations in a way that delivers tangible benefits for the people of both countries.
