Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday sought more investment from Saudi Arabia to help accelerating Bangladesh’s socio-economic development.

The prime minister said this while Saudi ambassador to Bangladesh Essa Yousef Essa Alduhailan called on her at her official residence Ganabhaban.

PM’s speechwriter M Nazrul Islam briefed reporters after the meeting.

Hasina told the envoy that Saudi Arabia and its people were very close to the heart of Bangladeshi people.

‘Saudi Arabia always stands beside Bangladesh,’ she said.

The Saudi envoy pledged to continue his country’s cooperation with Bangladesh in its development journey.

The prime minister said that they wished welfare of the Saudi Arabia and its people as they were the Custodian of the two holy mosques in Makkah and Madinah.

Saudi ambassador handed over a congratulatory message of the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud to prime minister on her reelection as head of the government.

In the message, the crown prince wished Bangladesh’s further progress and prosperity.

The Saudi envoy expressed his country’s desire to establish eight mosques and Islamic language institutions in eight divisions of Bangladesh.

The PM asked the authorities concerned to take measures to find out a suitable place for setting up an institute in Dhaka.

The Saudi envoy said they were taking measures to simplify the process of Hajj and Umrah Hajj in the days to come.

He said Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh can enhance cooperation in sports and culture.

The envoy expressed his country’s eagerness to take medical staff from Bangladesh alongside other professionals.

PM’s private industry and investment adviser Salman Fazlur Rahman, ambassador-at-large M Ziauddin and PM’s principal secretary Md Tofazzel Hossain Miah were present during the meeting.