[🇧🇩] Can Bangla-Saudi Relation be elevated to Strategic Level?

[Saif]

Bangladeshis can renew iqama with another employer: Saudi minister

Saudi Arabia has allowed Bangladeshi migrant workers to renew their iqama (residency permits) under another employer if their original kafeel (employer) fails to renew it, a Saudi minister said on Tuesday.

en.prothomalo.com

Bangladeshis can renew iqama with another employer: Saudi minister

Staff Correspondent
Dhaka

Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury holds a bilateral meeting with Saudi officials in Dhaka on Tuesday to discuss expanding the labour market, including allowing Bangladeshi workers to renew their iqama under another employer if their original kafeel fails to do so. Courtesy: The expat ministry

Saudi Arabia has allowed Bangladeshi migrant workers to renew their iqama (residency permits) under another employer if their original kafeel (employer) fails to renew it, a Saudi minister said on Tuesday.

Saudi Deputy Minister of Labour Market Policies, Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development Muhannad bin Ahmed Al-Essa said that from now on, if the original kafeel of a Bangladeshi worker in Saudi Arabia fails to renew the worker's iqama for any reason, the worker will be able to renew the iqama under another kafeel as quickly as possible, and there will be no legal obstacle to doing so.

He also assured that if detailed information about Bangladeshi workers imprisoned in Saudi jails is sent through diplomatic channels, the Saudi government will give due consideration to granting them clemency.

Saudi Deputy Labour Minister Muhannad bin Ahmed Al-Issa made the remarks during a courtesy call with Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury at the latter's office in Dhaka on Tuesday, which was also attended by Saudi Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Consular Affairs Mohammed AM Alshammari, says a press release of the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment.

The press release said, at the meeting, Dhaka requested the renewal of two of the three agreements signed between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia on the recruitment of workers—the Domestic Workers Agreement and the SVP Agreement. It was also stated that the recently signed workers' recruitment agreement has been approved by Bangladesh and has been sent to the Saudi government for approval.

Bangladesh requested that a meeting of the Joint Technical Commission be held to discuss various issues related to worker recruitment, training and welfare between the two countries. It also proposed the establishment of a Saudi-Bangladesh Joint Technical Training Centre in Bangladesh as a joint initiative to enhance workers' skills, provide Arabic language training, impart knowledge on Saudi laws, culture and customs, and offer pre-departure orientation.

Bangladesh also proposed developing a framework for the mutual recognition of technical, vocational and professional qualifications to facilitate the recruitment of skilled, highly skilled and professional workers in key sectors such as healthcare, construction, information technology and hospitality.

At the same time, it requested that the timely issuance and renewal of work permits (work visas) and iqama (residency permits) for Bangladeshi workers be ensured. Bangladesh also sought the Saudi government's cooperation in addressing delays by some employers in issuing or renewing work permits, citing the increased work permit fees.

Thanking the Saudi delegation, Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury said Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia enjoy long-standing friendly relations.

He said Bangladeshi workers are contributing to Saudi Arabia's overall development while also playing an important role in Bangladesh's economy through the remittances they send home.

The minister also noted that students of Qawmi madrasas are highly proficient in Arabic and urged the Saudi side to create employment opportunities for them in Saudi Arabia by providing them with appropriate training.

During the meeting, State Minister for Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Md Nurul Haque called on Saudi Arabia to recruit more skilled workers from Bangladesh to meet the increased demand for labour ahead of the 2034 FIFA World Cup to be hosted by the Kingdom.

He also urged the Saudi authorities to ensure the rights and protection of female domestic workers from Bangladesh.

At the meeting, Secretary of the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Md Mokhter Ahmed called for Bangladeshi workers imprisoned in Saudi jails to be granted clemency ahead of the upcoming holy month of Ramadan and Eid.

In reply to Bangladesh's proposals, Saudi Minister Muhannad bin Ahmed Al-Issa expressed strong interest in recruiting skilled and professional workers from Bangladesh in key sectors, including healthcare, construction, information technology and hospitality. He said the Wage Protection System (WPS) and insurance coverage have already been introduced to protect workers' rights.

Muhannad bin Ahmed Al-Issa also assured that if detailed information about Bangladeshi workers imprisoned in Saudi jails is sent through diplomatic channels, the Saudi government will give serious consideration to granting them clemency.

Also present at the important bilateral meeting were Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Abdullah Jafar H Bin Abiah, Special Assistant to Prime Minster Shakirul Islam Khan, and senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment.​

 

[Saif]

What it means for Bangladesh to join the Saudi-led maritime alliance

Bangladesh's Saudi-led maritime alliance reflects economic necessity, strategic calculation and difficult choices between security, neutrality and national interests.

www.thedailystar.net

What it means for Bangladesh to join the Saudi-led maritime alliance

 

[Saif]

Bangladesh condemns Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia

Bangladesh on Friday strongly condemned the recent Houthi attacks on civilian infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, including airports. Such attacks violate international law and threaten innocent lives and regional stability, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Bangladesh said it stands in full soli

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Bangladesh condemns Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia

Bangladesh on Friday strongly condemned the recent Houthi attacks on civilian infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, including airports.

Such attacks violate international law and threaten innocent lives and regional stability, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Bangladesh said it stands in full solidarity with the government and people of the Kingdom and called for an immediate end to these attacks.

An airline pilot was among three Saudi citizens killed in attacks targeting Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport and a Saudia aircraft, the kingdom’s civil aviation authority said on Friday. Several people “of different nationalities” were wounded, reports AP.

The attacks on Thursday were the deadliest in Saudi Arabia since the kingdom and allied forces in neighbouring Yemen launched a major military offensive against Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels last weekend.

They also marked a significant escalation on the latest front in the Iran war, which has kept oil prices and financial markets volatile. U.N. Special Envoy Hans Grundberg was scheduled to brief the Security Council on developments in Yemen later on Friday.

Hundreds of flights to and from Riyadh were cancelled on Thursday, according to flight-tracking site FlightAware.​

 

[Saif]

Biman suspends Riyadh flights, issues passenger advisory

Biman Bangladesh Airlines on Saturday suspended its scheduled Dhaka-Riyadh-Dhaka flights until further notice due to unavoidable operational circumstances and advised affected passengers not to proceed to the airport. The suspension covers flights BG339 and BG340, the national flag carrier said in

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Biman suspends Riyadh flights, issues passenger advisory

Biman Bangladesh Airlines on Saturday suspended its scheduled Dhaka-Riyadh-Dhaka flights until further notice due to unavoidable operational circumstances and advised affected passengers not to proceed to the airport.

The suspension covers flights BG339 and BG340, the national flag carrier said in an emergency press release, reports BSS.

Biman management is assessing the situation and will officially announce an update on the rescheduling or status of the flights tomorrow, October 11, it said.

The airline apologised for the unexpected disruption and the inconvenience caused to passengers and their families.

Affected passengers have been advised to contact Biman's call centre or visit their nearest sales office for assistance.

Further updates will be available on the airline's official website and communication channels, the release added.​

 

[Saif]

What attacks on Saudi Arabia mean for Bangladesh’s economy

The country’s remittances, energy and fertiliser imports, and exports face fresh risks as Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis fire ballistic missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia.

www.thedailystar.net

What attacks on Saudi Arabia mean for Bangladesh’s economy

Jagaran Chakma

The country’s remittances, energy and fertiliser imports, and exports face fresh risks as Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis fire ballistic missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia.

Trade leaders, manpower exporters and economists say the escalation, which comes as the US-Israeli war on Iran widens amid stalled diplomacy, exposes the economy to the risk of a fresh external shock.

Since fiscal year 2014-15, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has employed around half of the 96 lakh Bangladeshis who went abroad for work. So, the attacks put Saudi jobs at risk and, in time, the country’s overall remittance inflow.

Ali Haider Chowdhury, former secretary-general of the Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA), said that a prolonged conflict centred on Saudi Arabia could delay recruitment, raise migration costs and weaken demand for workers.

“At least 800,000 Bangladeshis travel to Saudi Arabia for work each year, and any slowdown would hit prospective migrants and the families who depend on their earnings,” he said.

Of the 969,000 workers who went abroad in fiscal year 2025-26, Saudi Arabia hired more than 600,000, over 60 percent of the total. Remittances provide the foreign exchange the country needs to meet external payments, including for imports, and Saudi Arabia accounted for the largest share last year, at 16 percent.

In the July-September period this year, Bangladeshi workers in Saudi Arabia sent home nearly $2 billion, almost one-fifth of the total, according to the Bangladesh Bank.

After the latest Houthi attacks on the Kingdom, Ali Haider said that they were yet to see any impact on remittances. “It would take a few months to assess the consequences,” he said.

The Gulf and the wider Middle East employ more than three-quarters of the country’s migrant workers. The Iran war and its spillover across the Gulf have already left millions of Bangladeshi workers in the region uncertain about their future.

Fewer Bangladeshis have been leaving for work in the region since the war broke out in February this year.

This week the Houthi attacks disrupted at least 61 flights from Dhaka airport to the Kingdom, affecting at least 8,381 passengers, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CCAB). Two Bangladeshis were killed, and 27 were injured in an attack on Riyadh airport reported on October 10.

As the Houthis escalate their attacks and threaten shipping in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, energy and fertiliser shipments to Bangladesh face long reroutes amid the Iran war choking maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a major artery for global energy and fertiliser shipments.

Disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have already hampered trade and pushed up oil and fertiliser prices globally. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecasts that oil will average around $96 a barrel throughout 2026, compared with $68 in 2025.

Bangladesh, a net petroleum importer, is facing spiralling bills for oil, gas and fertiliser. To pay the higher energy costs and cushion the economy against the conflict, the government plans to seek about $4 billion in budget support from multilateral and bilateral lenders in the current fiscal year.

Meanwhile, fertiliser supplies appear to have remained unaffected so far by the escalation.

Preferring anonymity, a senior official of Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) said fertiliser supplies from Saudi Arabia are uninterrupted so far, with four lots already received and no indication of a suspension of the fifth consignment.

The Saudi supplier has assured BADC that, if any disruption occurs there, fertiliser could be shipped through Duqm Port in Oman, the official said.

Riaz Uddin Ahmed, executive secretary of Bangladesh Fertilizer Association, said imports have not been affected by the recent attacks on Saudi Arabia, and suppliers have provided no negative updates regarding existing orders.

He said that ships are taking detours due to the situation around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, but that he does not expect the recent attacks to disrupt fertiliser supplies.

He added that suppliers have not raised any concerns about the orders already booked.

Apart from manpower, Saudi Arabia is also a major market for Bangladeshi apparel and processed food. The Kingdom imported $340 million worth of Bangladeshi goods in fiscal year 2025-26, according to the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB).

Ahsan Khan Chowdhury, chairman and chief executive of PRAN-RFL Group, the country’s largest agro-processed food exporter, said the company has found alternative routes to keep deliveries going to Middle Eastern markets.

“Previously, we transported our products through the Strait of Hormuz. Now, we are using alternative shipping routes involving containers, despite the sharp increase in shipping costs to $5,000 per container from $1,500 previously,” he said.

The higher costs have cut margins by nearly two percentage points. PRAN-RFL has also moved its plastic-resin sourcing from the Middle East to China, and orders from Middle Eastern markets have fallen by about 40 percent from pre-war levels, said Ahsan.

Taskeen Ahmed, president of the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), said the Middle East conflict is raising import costs, fuelling inflation and weakening export competitiveness.

M Masrur Reaz, chairman and chief executive of Policy Exchange Bangladesh, identified four potential risks arising from the Houthi attacks.

Those are disruption to Saudi employment and remittances, higher oil prices, weaker global demand because of inflation, and shipping delays and higher freight costs if attacks spread near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

Asif Ibrahim, former president of the Business Initiative Leading Development (BUILD), urged the government to set up a crisis task force, secure alternative fuel supplies, maintain reserves and dollar liquidity, support exporters and small businesses, ease port and customs bottlenecks, protect migrant workers and speed up renewable energy projects under a time-bound plan.

[The Daily Star Staff Correspondent Sukanta Halder contributed to this report.]​