Dhaka eyes broader Saudi partnership beyond labour migration, remittances

MM Rahmatullah: Bangladesh is positively considering the Makkah Defence Agreement, with peace and stability in the Middle East and the wider Muslim world emerging as key considerations in any decision, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir has said.

Emphasising the country`s national interests, Kobir said Bangladesh could contribute more effectively to regional and international peace by drawing on its extensive peacekeeping experience, provided that participation in the proposed defence arrangement aligns with its strategic priorities.

“We are having positive discussions on the Makkah Defence Agreement. We are viewing it positively,” he said while speaking to reporters after a national seminar at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka on Saturday.

“If it falls within the national interests of Bangladesh and converges, and we feel that our peacekeeping expertise can add value in serving Muslim nations and keeping a stable, peaceful Middle East, then there is every scope to take a positive decision on the matter,” he added.

The remarks signal Dhaka`s willingness to explore deeper security cooperation with Saudi Arabia and other Muslim countries while maintaining a careful, national-interest-driven approach to defence and regional stability.

Kobir said ensuring peace in the region encompassing the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah was a key consideration. He also highlighted the potential for Bangladesh to extend its peacekeeping expertise more widely in support of international stability.

The state minister said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman had accepted an invitation from Saudi Arabia`s Crown Prince to visit the Kingdom.

“He has accepted and will do so at some point very soon,” Kobir said.

He added that the Saudi Crown Prince had also expressed interest in visiting Bangladesh, and Dhaka would welcome him at a mutually convenient time.

The proposed visits reflect growing political engagement between the two countries and could create fresh opportunities to strengthen cooperation in defence, trade, investment, technology and human resource development.

Kobir also described Bangladesh as a strong Saudi partner in maritime security, underscoring the importance of expanding bilateral cooperation beyond traditional areas of engagement.

Calling for a comprehensive economic and strategic partnership, Kobir said Bangladesh-Saudi Arabia relations should move beyond their longstanding dependence on labour migration and remittances.

“While that foundation remains important, it cannot be the ceiling of our ambition,” he said.

For decades, Saudi Arabia has been a major destination for Bangladeshi migrant workers, while remittances from expatriates have played a significant role in supporting families and strengthening the country`s foreign exchange earnings.

Kobir said the next phase of bilateral relations should focus on creating greater value through investment, skills development, technology transfer and mutually beneficial economic cooperation.

“The days of dependency are over. We are now placing emphasis on an equal partnership between the two countries and on sustainable policies,” he told journalists.

He said Saudi Arabia`s Vision 2030 economic diversification programme and Bangladesh`s economic transformation had created common interests in investment, human capital development, technology and connectivity.

Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia are discussing a possible investment fund to facilitate joint investments and partnerships in priority sectors, Kobir said.

He identified renewable energy, infrastructure, ports, logistics, agriculture, fisheries, food security, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, information technology and artificial intelligence as promising areas for Saudi investment.

Such cooperation could help Bangladesh attract long-term capital, create employment opportunities, improve productive capacity and strengthen its economic resilience.

However, the state minister stressed that attracting investment would require a predictable and transparent business environment, stronger institutional coordination and timely decision-making.

His remarks highlighted the importance of translating diplomatic goodwill into commercially viable projects that deliver tangible benefits for both countries.

A broader investment partnership, he said, could enable Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia to jointly invest in profitable sectors rather than relying solely on conventional trade and employment arrangements.

Human resource development remains another major priority in the evolving relationship.

Kobir stressed the need to move towards deploying more trained and certified professionals to meet the changing requirements of Saudi Arabia`s labour market.

He called for stronger cooperation among training institutions, universities and industries to ensure that Bangladeshi workers acquire skills and certifications recognised by Saudi employers.

The shift is particularly important as Saudi Arabia pursues economic diversification and seeks workers with specialised expertise across emerging industries.

Bangladesh, with its large workforce, could benefit from expanding opportunities in technical, professional and technology-driven occupations, alongside traditional employment sectors.

The state minister also reaffirmed the government`s commitment to protecting the welfare, dignity and rights of Bangladeshi workers in Saudi Arabia.

He said cooperation should increasingly encompass knowledge and technology partnerships, ports, shipping, logistics, aviation and supply chains.

Diversifying employment opportunities into energy, technology and other promising sectors, while sending more highly skilled professionals, would help strengthen the country`s position in the Saudi labour market.

The remarks came at a national seminar titled “From Workforce to Strategic Partnership: Reimagining Bangladesh-KSA Relations”, jointly organised by the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) and the Center for Migration Studies of North South University (NSU).

Saudi Arabia`s Ambassador to Bangladesh, Dr Abdullah Zafer bin Abiyah, attended the event as the guest of honour.

Foreign Ministry Secretary (Bilateral) Dr Md Nazrul Islam and Expatriates` Welfare and Overseas Employment Secretary Md Mokhtar Ahmed spoke as special guests.

BIISS Director General Major General A S M Ridwanur Rahman and NSU Vice-Chancellor Professor Abdul Hannan Chowdhury also addressed the seminar.

Kobir said regular high-level exchanges, including ministerial and official visits in both directions, were helping strengthen bilateral engagement.

He expressed optimism that ongoing discussions with Saudi Arabia would open up new avenues of cooperation.

“We are also holding very positive discussions with Saudi Arabia and, God willing, many new opportunities will emerge between the two countries,” he said.

Bangladesh`s consideration of the Makkah Defence Agreement comes alongside its stated ambition to deepen relations with Saudi Arabia through a broader framework encompassing security, investment, skilled migration and technology.

For Dhaka, the challenge will be to ensure that any security-related commitment serves national interests while supporting peace and stability in the Middle East and the wider Muslim world.

At the same time, expanding economic cooperation could help transform a relationship historically centred on migrant employment and remittances into a more diversified partnership based on investment, expertise and shared development goals.

Kobir`s remarks suggest that Bangladesh is seeking to pursue both objectives through sustained dialogue and mutually beneficial engagement.

While no final decision on the Makkah Defence Agreement was announced, the government has made clear that regional stability, national interests and the potential contribution of Bangladesh`s peacekeeping expertise will remain central to its deliberations.