Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Dr Abdullah Jafar H bin Abiyyah today paid a courtesy call on Religious Affairs Adviser Dr AFM Khalid Hossain at Secretariat. Photo: PID

DHAKA, July 27, 2025 (BSS) - The Government of Saudi Arabia will provide Tk 244 crore as grant for the construction of eight iconic mosques in Bangladesh.

Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Dr Abdullah Jafar H bin Abiyyah revealed this today when he paid a courtesy call on Religious Affairs Adviser Dr AFM Khalid Hossain at the latter’s Secretariat office here, said a press release.

The Adviser said that construction work on the iconic mosques, with Saudi funding, would begin as soon as possible. 

Proposals for land have already been received from several divisions, and discussions are ongoing with relevant authorities regarding the remaining locations, he added.

Mentioning the deep-rooted and friendly bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia, he said currently, approximately 3.2 million Bangladeshis reside in Saudi Arabia, contributing significantly to the country’s development through remittances. 

Likewise, Bangladeshi workers are playing an important role in achieving Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, he added.

The Adviser expressed optimism that the relationship between the two nations will grow even stronger in the coming years.

He also thanked the Saudi Government and its Ministry of Hajj and Umrah for this year’s smooth and efficient Hajj management. 

At the same time, he raised several issues for consideration regarding next year’s Hajj arrangements.
These included increasing the number of washrooms in Mina, Arafat, and Muzdalifah; ensuring uninterrupted water and electricity supply; and increasing the size of beds in Mina tents. 

The Adviser requested the Saudi Ambassador to draw his government’s attention to this end.

The Saudi Ambassador assured that he would inform his government and the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah about the proposals. He also pledged to play a role in enhancing Saudi Arabia’s development cooperation with Bangladesh.

During the meeting, both sides discussed ways to further strengthen and expand the existing bilateral relations. 

Additional topics included the implementation of RFID tags for Hajj pilgrims’ luggage, the establishment of an Arabic Language Institute in Dhaka, and other matters of mutual interest were in the discussion.

Religious Affairs Secretary AKM Aftab Hossain Pramanik and Joint Secretary (Hajj Division) Dr Md Manjurul Haque were also present at the meeting.