Hasina meets Trump, invites him to Bangladesh

US President Donald Trump has expressed his hope to visit Bangladesh as he exchanged greetings with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during the Arab Islamic-American (AIA) Summit in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, on Sunday.

"Yes, I would come (to Bangladesh)," Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque quoted the US president as saying while briefing reporters after the summit.

Prime Minister's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim and Deputy Press Secretary Md Nazrul Islam were present at the press briefing.

The foreign secretary said the two leaders exchanged pleasantries at the holding room of King Abdul Aziz International Conference Centre in Riyadh before the start of the Arab Islamic-American (AIA) Summit, when the Prime Minister invited the US President to visit Bangladesh.

"Accepting the invitation, Trump expressed the hope that he would visit to Bangladesh," Haque said.

Donald Trump was in Riyadh on his first foreign tour after taking office.

While delivering his speech at the summit, Trump said the fight against extremism is "a battle between good and evil," calling on Muslim nations to take a lead in stamping out terror.

"The path to peace begins right here," he said.

Meanwhile, Sheikh Hasina and Tajik President Emomalii Rahmon had a meeting at the King Abdulaziz Conference Center on the sidelines of the summit.

The Tajik president invited Sheikh Hasina to visit Tajikistan at her convenient.

"We hope that the Tajik President may visit Bangladesh or the Bangladesh Prime Minister may visit Tajikistan by this year," the foreign secretary said.

He said Tajikistan considers Bangladesh as a potential country of boosting its trade.

Hasina also had a meeting with her Malaysian counterpart Najib Razak on the sidelines of the summit, with the two leaders discussing various issues relating to bilateral interests.