His Excellency Ambassador Mr. Essa Yousef Alduhailan has been appointed as the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Bangladesh in March 2020.
Prior to this assignment, he worked in different diplomatic posts at the base station and abroad. From 1997 to 2001, he was in the Philippines. After that he was stationed at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Saudi Arabia from 2001 to 2020 in different positions. This is the first post for him as an Ambassador in Bangladesh.
Ambassador Essa Alduhailan says, “I am enjoying every bit of Bangladesh.”
Recently during a meeting with Diplomatic Spouses Magazine, Ambassador said, “I am blessed to be here in Bangladesh as an Ambassador. I feel like at home as Bangladeshis are no strangers to me to begin with. If you go to visit Riyadh, you will see for yourself, from the airport on the taxi driver’s seat, or at the supermarkets or malls and shops, there are Bangladeshis everywhere, working or having small businesses. Almost in every household, there is at least one Bangladeshi helping hand, as a driver or a domestic helper or so.
They are friendly and respectful. When you see any Bangladeshi, you will get a hearty smile and then a big Salam. They will give you a very comfortable first impression which I like the best.
“What gives me the most pleasure in day to day life in Dhaka is I hear the beautiful Azan five times a day. It gives a soothing touch to your eardrums, calms you down and; you feel you are not away from home. I am lucky to be living in Dhaka, the city of mosques. Also as the custodian of two holy mosques in Saudi Arabia, Muslim citizens of Bangladesh always keep us in their hearts at a very special space.
“I also enjoy the hospitality and generosity of the Bangladeshi people. This comes from the all steps of the people of your country. From the honorable Prime Minister to the secretaries of different ministries, high to the higher levels of the governmental officers, Members of Parliament, all are so helpful and so eager to assist you to get any job done smoothly and quickly, makes you feel so special. This is a great feeling for me and my government and any delegation that comes to visit Dhaka for an official visit.”
We found Ambassador Essa Alduhailan a very friendly and down to earth person comparing to other diplomats assigned in Bangladesh previously. His friendly behavior wins everybody’s heart. His enthusiastic character and ‘open to all’ charm will be remembered by the Bangladeshis for many years to come. His intention and ability to mix with the common people of Bangladesh already made him one of the most popular Saudi Ambassadors ever appointed in the country. Very frankly he spoke with us and very freely he expressed his fondness in sports and other activities that keep him busy in Bangladesh.
When an ambassador of one of the richest and powerful nations tells you, “My heart and my door are open for you anytime and I would like to continue our relationship in personal level also”, definitely you get to get overwhelmed.
He loves sports and very fond of playing table tennis, tennis and chess. He likes ‘man to man’ completion and games where you can use your brains.
His Excellency Ambassador Essa Yousef Alduhailan said he likes the activities of Diplomatic Spouses, Dhaka and wished us all the best with our next endeavors.
We had a friendly discussion at his embassy which is narrated here for our readers.
Diplomatic Spouses: After your arrival in Bangladesh, you have witnessed the grand celebration of our golden jubilee of our Independence. Would you like to express your feeling of the moment?
Ambassador Essa Yousef Alduhailan: Yes, it was a glorious moment indeed to celebrate and I am happy to be a part of the event.
Actually, we celebrated the Golden Jubilee of Bangladesh’s Independence, the Birth Centennial of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and 45 years of diplomatic relations of Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia here in our new premises of our embassy. It was attended by Speaker Dr. Shirin Sharmin Choudhury, Honorable Foreign Minister Dr. Abdul Momen, Honorabe Minister for Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment HE Imran Ahmaed and Honorable State Minister for Religious Affairs and many dignitaries from the Government of Bangladesh, prominent businessmen andmy colleagues from diplomatic corps.
I am very glad to see that a Muslim country like Bangladesh achieving great achievements day by day.
I was astonished and amazed by the progress and development happened here in Bangladesh under the great leadership of the honorable Prime Minister HE Sheikh Hasina and proved that she is a capable leader by successfully implementing the visions of her father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman one after the other.
Despite the challenges of the high population of Bangladesh, the COVID Pandemic in last two years and the hits of natural disasters, Bangladesh is going ahead towards the achievement of its 2041 and 2060 vision. Bangladesh is now one of the booming countries among the neighboring countries and at the same time, one of the ten countries that are achieving a high rank in economic development.
Bangladesh’s development is visible. We can see it in infrastructures, like especially in the communication sector. Also to mention the Bangabandhu Industrial City, in the port city of Chittagong and the summits, international meetings being held here in Dhaka in regard of investment every year with the delegations coming from different countries. That’s a good sign of development.
And the late move of that is the Padma Bridge. I think the construction of the Padma Bridge is a magnificent achievement of not only the government of Bangladesh, also a successful event of Bangladeshi people and the Muslim Ummah. The most amazing part of it is its finance. Bangladesh did not depend on any international organizations or lending agencies to finance the project.
Your today’s success will give your government and the people confident to do Insha Allah more mega projects in the future.
Diplomatic Spouses: Could you please tell us about the current bilateral relations between Bangladesh and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia?
Ambassador Alduhailan: Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh’s bilateral relationship has been rooted in the history. Our two Muslim brotherly countries had good relationship in the past, having at present and it will grow day by day. Our two leaderships, Protector and Custodian of the two holy mosques, His Highness King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Albulaziz Al Saud and Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina are having good relations and understanding and the common issues, exchanging both side’s views and values and working on developments all the time.
Our bilateral relations are not concentrated on manpower or humanitarian aid or relief only. These are important issues, but now we are working together on multi-dimensional areas of cooperation like defense, security and culture & sports and many other areas.
We are having exchanges of many high delegations between Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh more than before. Also many scopes have been created in the fields of business and investment. We have many prominent companies that have huge investment here in Bangladesh. More investments are coming.
We are expecting a visit of our Minister of Investment His Excellency Khalid A. Al-Falih accompanied by more than 22 representatives from big companies of Saudi Arabia very soon. Our relationship is climbing up to new heights day by day.
In the sector of education, Saudi cooperation for Bangladesh was always there. Saudi Arabia is providing 265 scholarships for Bangladeshi students each year. There are many Bangladeshi students who have graduated from Saudi Universities and institutions whom you might find here in Bangladesh working in high positions in governmental and private sector organizations.
Cooperation in education sector between Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh is getting stronger every year. Recently, the Protector and Custodian of the two holy mosques, His Highness King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has granted a fund to build Arabic learning institutions in Bangladesh to be implemented through Dhaka University and Islamic Arabic University. We are expecting a delegation from Saudi Arabia from the Ministry of Religious Affairs to visit Bangladesh soon to meet the Bangladesh counterpart to discuss about the establishment of these institutions.
Diplomatic Spouses: Please mention some of the major direct investment of Saudi companies in Bangladesh.
Ambassador Alduhailan: In response to the call of Her Excellency Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during her visit to Saudi Arabia in 2016, a number of Saudi big companies and investors showed interest in investing in Bangladesh directly or in joint venture.
Bangladesh actually is a new destination for Saudi businessmen and companies and an open, green field full of potential and opportunities in the sectors like infrastructure, ship building, pharmaceutical, electronics, energy and power, food and agriculture and many other areas.
Saudi companies have started to invest billions of US dollars already. You have been noticing Saudi delegations coming to Bangladesh and signing agreements and MoUs every now and then for new projects.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud visited Dhaka in March 2022 and made announcement of investing $10 billion in 15 large- and small-scale projects in Bangladesh.
Saudi Arabian Oil Company, popularly known as Aramco, has shown interest in the construction, operation and maintenance of an oil refinery, which is expected to cost between $1.5 billion and $2 billion.
Another Saudi company Engineering Dimension II LLC is keen on investing in seven projects and has committed to channel in about $1.685 billion. They have shown interest in the construction of the Dhaka East-West Elevated Expressway.
Some Saudi investments are already in the pipeline such as the flagship proposal to develop the Patenga Container Terminal under a public-private partnership by Red Sea Gateway Terminal.
Boeing-accredited Al-Salam has proposed to invest $1.2 billion to establish an aerospace industrial area. Internationally reputed energy company ACWA Power, which has close business ties with Aramco, has submitted an expression of interest to invest about $600 million to build a 730 MW combined cycle power plant in Chattogram.
Al-Hokair Group, a renowned hospitality company that owns 45 hotels, resorts and theme parks, is going to invest about $300-$500 million to develop Bangladesh’s tourism.
Al-Fanar wants to invest $100 million in the construction of a 100 MW IPP solar project under a joint venture.
Ma’aden and Hanwha have proposed a revised letter of intent for the supply of di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) to Bangladesh after the existing one with the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) expired in October 2020.
Meanwhile, for setting up special economic zone, another proposal is already in the card through Al Bawani Company Limited from Riyadh. Al Bawany wants to invest about $10 million in the employment of skilled human resources for construction and engineering projects.
Al Bawani will invest in dedicated Saudi Industrial site in a 300 acre plant in Chittagong. We are thankful that Bangladesh Economic Zone Authority, BEZA has already earmarked 2 thousand acres of land in Mirsharai of Chottogram at Bangabandhu Industrial City allocated for investors from Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Minister for Transport and Logistic Services Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser took a tour at the site last December when he came for a visit. We all went to see the site at Bangabandhu Industrial City and he was shocked to see the condition and the development of the project areas and facilities to be provided by the government of Bangladesh for Saudi investors. The production will start pretty soon.
A fast food chain Herfy, which is very popular in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere and genuinely a Saudi brand has equally won the hearts of millions of Bangladeshis.I feel good to see any outlet of the restaurants fully packed with customers at any time of the day.
Diplomatic Spouses: Could you please tell us your opinion on how we can improve our cooperation in the sectors of culture and sports?
Ambassador Alduhailan: I understand culture and sports are two new sectors of cooperation. We haven’t have any activities in the cultural and sports sector as yet, but we have plans to work on these two fields as we believe these two sectors bring the common people of two nations closer. I understand our respective ministries will have dignitaries and officials from both the countries should meet together and make plans and schedules of the possible events that might be arranged mutually.
In my opinion, it will be great if we go to having some ‘Cultural Days’ where we might promote Saudi and Bangladeshi cuisine, handicrafts, and traditional dances performed by Bangladesh and Saudi Arabian cultural troupes or we can have friendly football matches between Bangladesh and Saudi National Football teams both here and in Riyadh.
Or we can have your cricket team to visit Saudi Arabia to play against a team created locally. You know, we accommodate 2.6mn Bangladeshis in KSA. So it will be wonderful to have them entertained this way.
We are preparing to inaugurate cultural programs that will concentrate on increasing cultural bonds between Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh.
Diplomatic Spouses: What other sectors you think we could co-operate each other and achieve development?
Ambassador Alduhailan: I think tourism is the next big issue to work on together. There are lots of aspects in tourism we can cooperate and explore to promote each other’s countries. You have very beautiful sites here in Bangladesh where tourists from other countries can come and enjoy. You have beautiful beaches in Cox’s Bazar, then nice places to visit in Chattogram, Sylhet and many other districts which are very beautiful but nobody has promoted these places to the foreigners, for the Saudis in particular. That is why the Saudi tourists know about India, Sri Lanka and Turkiye but not Bangladesh.
First of all, you have to promote your places of interests in an attractive and effective way. Build infrastructures with tourist facilities including transportation and accommodation. And in accommodation also, you have to have categories from luxury tourism as well as suitable for general and young tourists as well.
Also Bangladeshis do not know much about Saudi Arabia. There are many historical and holy places in Saudi Arabia to explore. We have the magnificent landmarks, sea shores and we have some virgin islands still untouched by any human being. Also there are super luxurious hotels and resorts. We have world class transportation available in many modes like taxis, airplanes, buses and others. This will facilitate in transferring tourists from sites to sites.
Why I am talking about Saudi tourism is, Saudi Arabia is recently open for general tourism. Like many other tourist destinations, Saudi Arabia is going to be a busy tourists spot soon. We have launched a separate Ministry for the planning and development of tourism. To us, it is important to attract tourists from outside to visit our country.
From 2018, Saudi Arabia has been issuing tourist visas for the foreigners. Handling general tourists other than Hajj pilgrims is for the first time in Saudi Arabia, so we need some experience to gather first. That’s why we initially opened tourist visas for 30 countries. We want to evaluate our services by welcoming guests from these 30 counties first. If we see we are doing well as a tourist host country, eventually we will accommodate more other country’s citizens to visit Saudi Arabia as tourists. Unfortunately Bangladesh is not included in the first 30 countries. Then again, there are other Muslim countries like Egypt, Syria, Yemen or Indonesia are also not on the list.
We also need enough number of hotels and resorts and experienced and efficient human resources and other service providers to serve most number of tourists from all over the world with maximum satisfaction. We need some time to prepare ourselves.
So far, our services for the tourist look very good. We have digitalized most of the services. In less than 2 minutes, a tourist can get a visa issued on-line from the listed countries. The procedure for any Muslim to perform Hajj and Umrah is different than this tourist visa system.
Diplomatic Spouses: It is a matter of pride for us all Muslim brotherly countries that Saudi Arabia qualifies to play in the FIFA World Cup. You will be happy to know that Bangladeshi football fans support your team while playing a game in the World Cup with another country. How could you manage to keep your position in playing World Cup and how is your team prepared for the coming session this year?
Ambassador Alduhailan: Government of Saudi Arabia, Protector and Custodian of the two holy mosques, His Highness King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Albulaziz Al Saud are giving unlimited support to our football team. Also our Minister for Sports Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud is a very enthusiastic person and very keen to support and give the maximum help to our national football team and does whatever is needed to achieve a good rank in the world football.
Our National Team is now in full practice under the French head coach Herve Renard. You know he is a very successful coach and he coached Morocco at the 2018 World Cup and led Zambia to a surprise African Cup of Nations title in 2012.
A delegation of officials representing the Saudi national football team recently visited Qatar in relation to the competition and its venues and technical issues, medical provision, security, transportation, logistics, media, marketing, football-related technologies and arbitration etc. They also visited the camp at which our national team will stay throughout their participation in the World Cup. So Insha Allah, we will achieve a good position in this world cup to be held in November in Qatar.
Diplomatic Spouses: There are many Bangladeshis working in Saudi Arabia since the 80s. How do you look at our Bangladeshi brothers staying away from home years after years and giving labor to your country’s development?
Ambassador Alduhailan: There are 2.6m Bangladeshi registered workers working in Saudi Arabia and sending home remittance of 3.5bn a year in average. Saudi Arabia is the highest wage earning country for Bangladesh and 22% of your total remittance is coming from our country.
We have verities of jobs for Bangladeshis in our country to offer. As per required qualification, we only can accommodate unskilled and semi skilled workers mostly. However there are teachers, IT professionals working in Saudi Arabia who are Bangladeshis.
I advised your Minister of Expatriates HE Imran Ahmed that you need to set up training centers and produce skilled graduates who will have practical knowledge in technical fields to earn more remittance from not only Saudi Arabia, but from many other countries as well. Initially I advised him to open at least 100 technical schools all over the country.
There are migrated workers from many other countries in Saudi Arabia, but Bangladeshi workers are found to be very efficient, intelligent and hard working. They learn their job very quickly and very dedicated to their duties and responsibilities. I can say one thing that, they learn a very well lesson at home, being raised here, that you have to behave yourself and you have to be best in whatever job you are given to do overseas, and you have to increase your salary by showing your skills by developing yourself every year and send money home for your family to run. So, keeping that message in mind, almost all the workers who were may be simply novices, get well efficient and skilled in the first few months automatically. They also learn Arabic within a very short time comparing to workers from other nationalities and I think that is because all the children in Bangladesh take Arabic lessons at the mosque or at home under a tutor and know how to read holy Qur’an.
Diplomatic Spouses: Would you please tell us about your family and children?
Ambassador Alduhailan: My family is staying in Riyadh. My wife Abeer is an English teacher. I have five children. My eldest daughter Hessa is doing her Masters in Pharmacy in London. Her course will be completed this month and she will start doing her PhD. Then comes my son Solaiman who is a university graduate and working in a Saudi company. After that my daughter Jawaher is also a university graduate and working for an international company in Riyadh. My other son Fares is now studying in university in Information Technology. Then I have my little daughter Almasah who is studying in the secondary school.
Diplomatic Spouses: Would you please give us some knowledge about Riyadh Expo 2030?
Ambassador Alduhailan: “Riyadh is embarking on its journey to becoming one of the world’s cities, driven by the energy and ambition of its youth,” explaining that the capital, Riyadh, with its promising projects, will be in the best suit to host the World Expo 2030. This candidacy is a vital and symbolic challenge for the country and we are confident in Riyadh’s ability and commitment to hold a historic version of the World Expo in 2030 with the highest innovative standards to provide an unparalleled global experience. “Hosting Expo 2030 in Riyadh coincides with a year in which we celebrate the culmination of our efforts to achieve the goals of Vision 2030” create a green space in the heart of the city, which is four times the size of Central Park in New York City, planting 15 million trees, and turning the streets of the Saudi capital into works of art. “The transformation is not only happening in Riyadh, it is sweeping the country, Riyadh will be more than ready to host the World Expo2030. It will be the perfect embodiment of what the World Expo aims to achieve in order to bring together the best minds, ideas and solutions in the world.” Sustainability is a top priority for Riyadh’s urban redevelopment plan, with the environment and a goal of halving carbon emissions in less than a decade at the forefront of the project. I’m delighted to inform you that the Saudi pavilion at Expo 2020 in Dubai has won first prize.
Saudi-Bangladesh Relations
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is one of Bangladesh’s longstanding development partners. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1975 Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia have been maintaining cordial and closer bonds of friendship characterized by mutual understanding and deep fraternity.
Saudi Arabia is the largest and most valued destination for Bangladeshi workforce, who contribute significantly to the national development of both the countries. The flow of remittance from Saudi Arabia to Bangladesh is about to 22% of total remittance.
Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) is an important development partner which has been providing economic assistance to Bangladesh since 1975. Bangladesh has so far received a total of SR. 1,166.31 million in economic assistance from 1975 to 2012. The priority sectors of the SFD assisted projects are infrastructure Development, Road & Railways, Irrigation, Rural Electrification, Fertilizer, Health, etc. Economic Wing closely works with SFD to get economic assistance.
Bangladesh-Saudi Arabia relations are the diplomatic and bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia. Relations between the two nations had a strained beginning but have grown strong since then. Being a Muslim-majority state, Bangladesh attaches a special importance to its ties with Saudi Arabia, which is the birth place of Islam. Both nations are members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and Saudi Arabia hosts a large proportion of the global Bangladeshi Diaspora.
Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia have maintained cordial and close bonds since the establishment of diplomatic ties. The friendship is characterized by mutual understanding and a deep sense of fraternity.
As the Kingdom is the largest and most valued destination for Bangladeshi work force, contributes significantly to the national development of both countries.
Both countries also share common views on many regional and international issues, particularly those relating to the Islamic community. These shared priorities, perspectives and fraternal relations have strengthened the collaboration within the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and other international and regional forums. Existing bonds have been reinforced by ever-deepening bilateral ties in the fields of trade, investment, defense, culture, education and manpower. The Kingdom now stands as one of Bangladesh’s most important bilateral partners and the dynamic relationship have evolved from one-dimensional to multi layered cooperation over the years to reach its present maturity.
Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 reform plan gives Bangladesh the opportunity to explore new areas of engagement in manpower, trade, investment, education and agriculture.
Bangladesh also has a vision: to attain the status of a high mid-income country by 2041. These goals warrant engagement in fast-growing trade and economic cooperation with major partners like Saudi Arabia.
There is a special place for Saudi Arabia in the heart of every Bangladeshi Muslims, as the Two Holy Mosques exist in Makkah and Madinah, and Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Thus, a great opportunity exists between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia to work together to disseminate the real message of Islam so that nobody can benefit from misrepresenting the religion.
Bangladesh offered to allocate land for an exclusive economic zone for Saudi Arabia, which should encourage more Saudi investors to Bangladesh. Saudi entrepreneurs and businessmen have started a big time investment in the 100 Special Economic Zones in priority sectors such as energy, power, infrastructure and communication networks, IT, textiles and agro-based industries.
It is highly expected that the current dynamic relationship between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia will fundamentally change in the years to come.
Since the late 1980s, many both skilled and unskilled Bangladeshi workers have moved to Saudi Arabia; the number of Bangladeshis living in Saudi Arabia today exceeds 2.5 million. Many Muslim religious students and clerics also regularly travel to Saudi Arabia for study and religious purposes. As one of the most populous Muslim countries, Bangladesh is a major source of Hajj pilgrims.
