Dhaka, Jan 15 (V7N) — Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Bangladesh, Dr. Abdullah Zafar H. Bin Abiah, paid a courtesy call on Home Affairs Advisor Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury at the Secretariat on Thursday.

During the meeting, both sides discussed issues of mutual interest, including the issuance of Bangladeshi passports to 69,000 Rohingyas residing in Saudi Arabia, manpower export, boosting trade and commerce, preparations for Bangladesh’s upcoming national elections, and Bangladesh’s participation in the World Defense Exhibition in Saudi Arabia.

Welcoming the ambassador, the Home Affairs Advisor said that Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia share a close friendship, noting that Saudi Arabia holds a special place in the hearts of Bangladeshis as the holy land of Islam and the second home of over 3.2 million Bangladeshi expatriate workers. He requested that Saudi Arabia import more manpower from Bangladesh, expressing hope that such steps would further strengthen bilateral ties.

Responding to the ambassador’s query on Rohingya passports, the advisor said that considerable progress has been made, with the Bangladesh Mission in Saudi Arabia and the Immigration and Passport Department working actively to expedite the process. He noted, however, that attendance for passport enrollment remains low compared to applications received, and that Saudi authorities have been informed of the situation.

On preparations for the national elections scheduled for February 12, 2026, the advisor clarified that while the Election Commission is primarily responsible for conducting the polls, the Ministry of Home Affairs is fully prepared to maintain law and order. For the first time, various law enforcement agencies have been specially trained for the elections. Circulars for deployment have been issued, and operations to recover illegal weapons, including the ongoing ‘Devil Hunt Phase-2’, are underway.

The ambassador extended an invitation to the Home Affairs Advisor to attend the World Defense Exhibition in Riyadh from February 8-14, 2026. The advisor, citing the upcoming parliamentary elections, expressed his inability to attend personally but confirmed that a suitable representative would be sent.

Additional Secretary Faisal Ahmed of the Immigration Division and Joint Secretary Md. Jasim Uddin Khan of the Political-1 Branch were also present at the meeting.

END/SMA/AJ