President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday sought Saudi Arabia’s continued support for Bangladesh amid the ongoing global energy crisis and called for increased bilateral trade and investment at both government and private-sector levels.

He made the remarks when Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Dr Abdullah Zafar H Bin Abiyah paid a courtesy call on him at Bangabhaban.

During the meeting, the Saudi envoy conveyed congratulations to the President on behalf of Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

President’s Press Secretary Md Sarwar Alam briefed reporters after the meeting.

The President also sought Saudi cooperation to make the journeys of Bangladeshi Hajj pilgrims more convenient and reduce their hardships, particularly by improving bathing and toilet facilities at Mina, Sarwar said.

The Saudi ambassador assured the President that necessary measures would be taken in this regard.

Noting that more than 3.5 million Bangladeshis are working in Saudi Arabia, President Fakhrul expressed gratitude to the Saudi government and urged it to continue giving priority to recruiting manpower from Bangladesh.

Through the Saudi ambassador, the President also invited King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to visit Bangladesh at a convenient time.

Describing Bangladesh-Saudi Arabia relations as excellent, Fakhrul stressed the need to further strengthen bilateral ties and cooperation.

He praised the leadership of the Saudi king and crown prince and conveyed his best wishes for their efforts for the welfare of the Muslim Ummah.

The Saudi ambassador, in turn, assured the President of continued Saudi support in energy, assistance and investment.

It was the first meeting between President Mirza Fakhrul and a foreign diplomat since he assumed office.

The President’s Secretary, Military Secretary, Press Secretary and senior government officials and employees were present at the meeting.