Saudi Arabia to offer 500 annual scholarships to Bangladeshi students

Saudi Arabia has announced that it will offer 500 scholarships annually to Bangladeshi students following the formation of the new government led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.

The announcement came during a courtesy meeting between Prime Minister's Adviser and his Office Spokesperson Mahdi Amin and Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Abdullah Zafer H Bin Abiah at the Prime Minister's Office on Thursday.

During the meeting, the Saudi ambassador expressed his country's interest in working closely with Bangladesh's new government across a range of areas, including politics, the economy and education.

The two sides discussed ways Saudi Arabia could support the development of Bangladesh's education sector.

The ambassador confirmed that the Saudi government would provide 500 scholarships each year to Bangladeshi students and said he had already informed Prime Minister Tarique Rahman of the initiative.

The meeting also focused on expanding opportunities for the export of skilled Bangladeshi workers to Saudi Arabia, easing access to the Saudi labour market and addressing existing procedural barriers.

The two sides further discussed cooperation on Hajj and Umrah, strengthening people-to-people ties and exploring new areas of bilateral collaboration.

The adviser and the ambassador also underscored the importance of enhancing cooperation between the two countries. They noted that around 3.8 million Bangladeshis currently living in Saudi Arabia are making significant contributions to the Kingdom's economy and development, while the remittances they send home continue to play a vital role in Bangladesh's economic growth.

Saudi Vice Ambassador Khalid Saeed M Al Hadal and Deputy Head of the Consular Section Mohammed Fahad Dhi Al Suhaimi were also present at the meeting.