Saudi Arabia is our major development partner: BB Governor

Bangladesh Bank (BB) Governor Dr. Ahsan H. Mansur has said that millions of expatriate Bangladeshis work in the Middle East countries who send valuable remittances to Bangladesh every year. In particular, Dr. Ahsan H. Mansur cited the name of Saudi Arabia where a great deal of Bangladeshi workers are employed and thus Saudi Arabia is a huge source of remittances for Bangladesh, according to a press release received yesterday.

A summit with the participation of business leaders, economists, politicians, government high-ups and Saudi Arabian policymakers was held in the capital's Hotel Sheraton on Tuesday (7 October 2025). Entrepreneurs belonging to health sector, science and technologies and readymade garments joined the summit too.

Dr. Ahsan H. Mansur inaugurated the summit as the chief guest. Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) standing committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury inaugurated the exhibition of export goods at the summit as a special guest. It was presided over by Ashraful Haque Chowdhury, President of Saudi Arabia-Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

Dr. Ahsan H. Mansur laid emphasis on reducing the cost of sending remittances from Saudi Arabia to Bangladesh. The central bank Governor further said that Bangladesh has already crossed half a trillion dollars mark in economic terms. Dr. Ahsan H. Mansur called upon Saudi Arabian industrialists to invest in Bangladesh.

Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury recalled that martyred President Ziaur Rahman founded the relationship between Bangladesh and Middle East countries by means of which Bangladeshi workers found jobs in the Middle East and Bangladesh's economic wheels were thus expedited, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury stated. He underscored further consolidating ties between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia.

A delegation team of 20 Saudi Arabian business leaders arrived in Dhaka to attend this summit. The Saudi Arabian business delegation is being headed by Sheikh Omar Abdul Hafiz Amir Boksh. Professor Mohammad Asif Salam is also in the Saudi Arabian delegation team among some other dignitaries.