Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia for strengthening military cooperation

Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia have emphasised further bolstering military cooperation between them.

Visiting Saudi Deputy Minister of Defence Mohammad Bin Abdullah Al-Aish and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina shared such a view when he called on her at Ganabhaban in Dhaka on Thursday.
 
Briefing reporters after their meeting, the prime minister's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim said different aspects of cooperation in various sectors, including defence, were discussed.
 
Both Hasina and Abdullah Al-Aish expressed happiness at the state of the two countries’ bilateral relations, he said.
 
Karim quoted the Saudi deputy minister of defence as saying, "We want to go further ahead for boosting military cooperation and there could be high-level visits of defence officials between the two countries.”
 
He said the prime minister had reiterated Bangladesh's commitment to extend all manner of cooperation to protect the Masjid-Al Haram in Makkah and Masjid-e-Nababi in Medina.
 
Hasina described Saudi Arabia as a ‘great friend’ of Bangladesh and the country has a special place in the hearts of Bangladesh’s people.
 
She said her administration was actively considering the Saudi request for participation in the development of the kingdom’s defence infrastructures.
 
As Mohammad Bin Abdullah Al-Aish said his country wanted to protect its border, according to Karim, Hasina proposed that Saudi border guards could receive training at the Border Guard Bangladesh academy.
 
The Saudi deputy minister also sought Bangladesh's technical assistance for the development of his country’s air force.
 
During the meeting, Hasina conveyed her greetings to Saudi King Salman Bin Abdulaziz through Abdullah Al-Aish.
 
The visiting Saudi dignitary recalled the prime minister’s recent visit to Saudi Arabia.