PM urges KSA to extend visa approval time for Hajj pilgrims

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called upon the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) to extend the time of visa approval for hajj pilgrims so all of them could perform the hajj.

She made the call when KSA Ambassador to Bangladesh Essa Yousef Essa Alduhailan called on her on Monday.

"Saudi Arabia should extend visa approval time for hajj pilgrims as they can perform the holy hajj," PM's Speech Writer Md Nazrul Islam quoted her as saying in a media briefing after the meeting at the premier's official residence Ganabhaban.

Islam said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has raised the issue of visa approval time extension for hajj pilgrims.

The ambassador said he is taking initiative to provide visas for the hajj pilgrims who are yet to get their visa for performing hajj.

Over 10,000 hajj pilgrims are yet to get visa from Saudi Arabia due to various complexities.

The Saudi envoy also expressed his country's investors' and companies' interest to implement some projects in Bangladesh and handed over a list of those projects to the prime minister.

Sheikh Hasina, in reply, said that after scrutiny and examination, Bangladesh will take next move.

In this connection, she assured him that the concerned ministries and divisions to look into the matter.

Talking about the Palestine issue, the prime minister said Bangladesh is preparing another consignment of assistance for Palestinian people as her country has already sent aid to them for two times.

"The whole world is behind the Palestine except the USA and its few allies," she said.

The Saudi ambassador mentioned that there are some 32 lakhs of Bangladeshis in his country who are contributing to both the Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia's economy.

The premier urged the envoy to take steps for encouraging Bangladeshis living in Saudi Arabia to send their remittances to Dhaka through legal channels.

PM's Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman Fazlur Rahman, Ambassador-at-large Mohammad Ziauddin and Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Secretary Mohammad Salahuddin were present.