The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has expressed its interest to invest in Bangladesh under the Saudi Public Investment Fund, Prime Minister’s Private Industry and Investment Affairs Adviser Salman F Rahman said on Saturday.
Dr Majid bin Abdullah Al Qasabi, the Saudi minister for commerce and investment, expressed such interest when Salman F Rahman made a request for Saudi investment during his visit to the KSA, reports BSS.
The adviser sought investment under the Fund for construction of railway track from Dhaka to Payra Port and also for the transformation of Cox’s Bazar airport into an international standard airport.
Salman Rahman said this at a press conference at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the city on his return home, said a press release.
The adviser led a 22-member high-level delegation in Saudi Arabia and held various meetings with the ministers and other important dignitaries of the Kingdom during their visit that began on September 18.
He said that during his meeting with the Saudi commerce minister, Bangladesh sought duty-free access of some 137 Bangladeshi products to the Saudi market.
The adviser also sought the support of the Kingdom for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) proposed in 2018 on the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiative.
During the tour, the adviser held meetings with the Saudi investment minister, transport minister and the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce where they discussed ways to boost bilateral trade and attract more investment in Bangladesh as well as setting up a special economic zone for Saudi investors.
The delegation members included Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) Executive Chairman M Sirazul Islam, Bangladesh Economic Zone Authority (BEZA) Executive Chairman Sheikh Yusuf Harun and PPP Authority Chief Executive Officer Sultana Afroz.