Special Correspondent: H.E. Essa Yousef Essa Alduhailan, Saudi Ambassador in Bangladesh assured that he will take steps to clear all pending visa applications from Bangladeshi aspirants to perform Hajj this year.

The ambassador made the assurance during a meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence Gonobhaban on Monday.

This year more than 83,000 Bangladeshis are scheduled to perform Hajj. According to a report, more than 10,000 of them are yet to get visas due to some complications.

The prime minister requested the envoy to extend the visa approval time so all the aspirants can go to Saudi Arabia to perform the Hajj.

The Saudi envoy conveyed to Sheikh Hasina the interest of his country’s investors and companies to make investments in some projects in Bangladesh. He also handed a list of those projects to the prime minister.

Sheikh Hasina said her government will take steps following scrutiny of the proposals. She told the ambassador that ministries and divisions concerned will look into the matter.

Turning to the Palestine issue, the prime minister said that Bangladesh is preparing another consignment of assistance for the Palestinian people in addition to two previously sent shipments.

“The whole world is behind Palestine except the USA and a few of its allies,” she said.

The Saudi ambassador mentioned that there are some 32 lakh Bangladeshis in Saudi Arabia who are contributing to the economies of both Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia.

Sheikh Hasina requested the ambassador to take steps that would encourage Bangladeshi expatriates in Saudi Arabia to send their remittances home through legal channels.

Prime minister’s Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman Fazlur Rahman, Ambassador-at-large Mohammad Ziauddin and PMO Secretary Mohammad Salauddin were present.