Bangladesh is keen to cooperate with Saudi Arabia's 10-billion tree-planting project under the kingdom's greening initiative, Bangladesh's ambassador to the country, Dr Mohammad Javed Patwary BPM (Bar), has said.

He expressed this interest on 3 November during a meeting with Prince Abdulaziz bin Saad, governor of Hail in Saudi Arabia. The ambassador said Bangladesh was willing to contribute its experience and expertise to the programme, and also offered to supply saplings of trees suited to and tolerant of desert conditions.

The governor of Hail expressed interest in joint research with Bangladeshi institutions on tree planting in Saudi Arabia and on restoring trees that have disappeared from the desert. He said the two countries could work more closely on greening if Saudi Arabia cooperated with Bangladesh in technical and scientific fields drawing on Bangladesh's experience, and proposed joint research between Bangladeshi and Saudi universities.

He also mentioned joint research with Bangladesh on water management, through which both countries could benefit from the knowledge Bangladesh has gained.

The ambassador sought the governor's help in securing the release of Bangladeshi migrants held in prisons in Hail for various reasons. Highlighting Hail's tourist attractions, he voiced hope that cooperation with the Sundarbans, Cox's Bazar and other Bangladeshi destinations could increase tourism between the two countries, and spoke of exchanges of culture and heritage.

He thanked the Saudi government for providing free treatment to migrants infected with Covid-19 and for vaccinating them.

The ambassador also met Hail's police chief, Major General Dr Kitab Al Otaibi, who praised Bangladeshi migrants. The ambassador asked for his help in resolving any emergency faced by Bangladeshi migrants, including female domestic workers. The police chief, addressing Bangladeshis as brothers, assured him of help whenever needed.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.