Saudi envoy says 500 annual scholarships for BD students

Saudi Arabia has announced that it will provide 500 scholarships every year to Bangladeshi students as part of efforts to strengthen cooperation with Bangladesh’s new government under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.

The announcement was made by Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Dr Abdullah Zafer H bin Abiyah during a meeting with the Prime Minister’s Adviser and Office Spokesperson Dr Mahdi Amin at the Prime Minister’s Office on Thursday.

During the meeting, the Saudi envoy expressed Riyadh’s interest in expanding cooperation with Bangladesh in several areas, including politics, economic development and education.

According to an official statement, both sides held discussions on Saudi Arabia’s potential support for Bangladesh’s education sector.

Ambassador Abdullah said the Saudi government had approved the allocation of 500 scholarships annually for Bangladeshi students and that he had already informed Prime Minister Tarique Rahman about the initiative.

The two sides also discussed ways to increase employment opportunities for skilled Bangladeshi workers in Saudi Arabia.

They highlighted the need to simplify recruitment procedures and remove existing challenges in accessing the Saudi labour market.

Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia further exchanged views on issues related to Hajj and Umrah services, stronger people-to-people connections and identifying new areas for bilateral cooperation.

Around 3.8 million Bangladeshis currently live and work in Saudi Arabia, contributing significantly to the Kingdom’s economy and development. Their remittances also remain an important source of support for Bangladesh’s economy.

Both sides stressed the importance of deepening the long-standing relationship between the two countries through greater cooperation and mutually beneficial initiatives.

Members of the Saudi delegation, including 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.

The latest scholarship initiative is expected to create new educational opportunities for Bangladeshi students while further strengthening the ties between Dhaka and Riyadh.