Saudi Crown Prince, EU invite PM

Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, has formally invited Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to visit the Kingdom.

Meanwhile, the European Union has also invited the premier to deliver a keynote address at the Global Gateway Forum 2027, signalling growing
international engagement with the new government.

The Saudi invitation was conveyed by Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Dr Abdullah Zafar H. Bin Al-Abiah during a meeting with the Prime Minister at the Cabinet Secretariat in Dhaka, while the EU invitation was handed over by Ambassador Michael Miller to Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Speaking to reporters at an emergency briefing on Sunday, Foreign Affairs Adviser Humaiun Kobir said the Saudi ambassador conveyed greetings from the Saudi leadership and extended an official invitation from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.

“The Prime Minister has graciously accepted the invitation, and we believe this will open a new chapter in Bangladesh-Saudi Arabia relations,” Kobir said.

He also disclosed that the Saudi Crown Prince had expressed interest in visiting Bangladesh.

“The Crown Prince has also conveyed his desire to visit Bangladesh at a convenient time.

This reflects the mutual commitment of both countries to deepen engagement at the highest level,” he said.

Describing the development as a landmark moment in bilateral ties, Kobir said the exchange of invitations had taken place within the first four months of the current government’s tenure.

“This is a significant moment for our relationship with Saudi Arabia. We are very positive about establishing strategic cooperation and partnership with the Kingdom and taking our longstanding friendship to new heights,” he said.

According to the adviser, discussions focused on expanding cooperation in trade, investment and diplomatic engagement.

“There is tremendous interest from the Saudi government and the Saudi private sector to invest in Bangladesh.

We discussed ways to strengthen strategic communication and increase the volume of trade between our two countries,” he said.

Kobir said Bangladesh regarded Saudi Arabia as a brotherly partner and was keen to further strengthen ties with the Middle East.

While both leaders have expressed willingness to visit each other’s countries, the schedule for the visits has yet to be finalised.

“Whether the Prime Minister visits Saudi Arabia first or the Crown Prince comes to Bangladesh first has not yet been decided. The details will be worked out through diplomatic channels,” he said.

During the meeting, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman requested the ambassador to convey his gratitude to the Crown Prince for the invitation, according to the Foreign Ministry.

The ambassador also informed the Prime Minister that a Saudi ministerial delegation is scheduled to visit Dhaka next week to discuss investment opportunities.

During the talks, the envoy highlighted growing interest among Saudi companies in investing in Bangladesh.

The Prime Minister welcomed the interest and outlined measures undertaken by his government to ensure a business-friendly environment, expressing hope that Saudi investment would continue to rise in the coming years.

Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman, Foreign Affairs Adviser Humaiun Kobir and Saudi Deputy Ambassador Ibrahim Abdullah were present at the meeting.

Meanwhile, the European Union has invited Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to participate in the third edition of the Global Gateway Forum in June 2027 and deliver a keynote address, reflecting the growing partnership between Bangladesh and the 27-member bloc.

The invitation was conveyed through a letter from Ursula von der Leyen, handed over by Ambassador Michael Miller during his meeting with Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman in Dhaka.

The visit is expected to provide an opportunity for a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

According to the Foreign Ministry, the Prime Minister’s participation in the forum could help attract further European investment in Bangladesh, particularly in sustainable infrastructure, digitalisation, energy, transport, health and education under the EU’s Global Gateway Initiative.

During the meeting, Bangladesh and the European Union reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral relations and explored ways to strengthen cooperation in trade, investment, business, technology and multilateral affairs.

The two sides also discussed the proposed Bangladesh-EU Business Forum 2027, upcoming high-level engagements and prospects for a Bangladesh-EU Free Trade Agreement, which is expected to further deepen economic cooperation.

Ambassador Miller additionally handed over a congratulatory letter from EU Vice President Kaja Kallas to Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman on his election as President of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.

The discussions also covered regional and global developments, issues related to the United Nations and the Rohingya crisis.