Send remittance through proper channel: foreign minister tells expats

Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud has urged Bangladeshi expatriates in Saudi Arabia to send remittances to the country through legal channels.

Speaking at a reception in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, this afternoon he said that about three million Bangladeshis are living in Saudi Arabia. Each expatriate is a representative of the country and the country is known by their behaviour.

If everyone sends remittances through legal channels, it will play a big role in the country's economy, he said.

The minister said that Bangladesh's relationship with Saudi Arabia is very friendly and that the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has made it multidimensional.

He said the previous relationship with the kingdom was mainly based on manpower export.

"Now we have made this relationship multidimensional with cooperation in various fields including petroleum, agriculture, environment, infrastructure development, trade and investment, and technology," the foreign minister.

Hasan highlighted his participation in the recently concluded 19th Extraordinary Session of the OIC Foreign Ministers in Jeddah as well as his meetings with the Saudi Foreign Minister and the OIC Secretary General.

The minister also highlighted the discussions on the proposed visit of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Bangladesh, purchase of petroleum, and industrial cooperation in the meeting with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, which took place in a very cordial atmosphere.

He said that the Saudi foreign minister has spoken about giving priority to the interests of Bangladesh.

Bangladesh Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Dr Mohammad Javed Patwary, Consul General in Jeddah Muhammad Nazmul Haque, and others attended the reception.