Bangladeshi passport holders can stay in Saudi Arabia for four days without taking a visa from Bangladesh and can perform Umrah. To get this benefit, you have to go to the country as a transit passenger of any airline in Saudi Arabia. Apart from this, any Bangladeshi citizen can stay in the country for four days without a visa even in transit if they have a Schengen visa from the United Kingdom, the United States and Europe.
Isa bin Yusuf Al-Duhailan, the country’s ambassador to Dhaka, said these things at a press conference organized at the Saudi embassy on Tuesday (October 3).
This press conference was organized on the occasion of the official inauguration of the Saudi volunteer program ‘IBSAR’ in Bangladesh.
There are more than 2.7 million Bangladeshi expatriates in Saudi Arabia. Among whom there are all kinds of people, workers, traders, employees. Apart from this, every year millions of Bangladeshis go to the holy land of Muslim Ummah to perform Hajj and Umrah.
However, due to visa complications, the dream of performing Hajj and Umrah is not fulfilled by many people. There are complaints that the agents are also extorting extra money in issuing visas.
In response to a question, the Saudi ambassador said that visa fees are not charged for Saudi migrant workers. However, 90 percent of the problems will be solved if the smart card is given first. Apart from this, even though the employers are supposed to bear all the expenses of visa processing of Bangladeshi workers, money is being wasted due to various circles including brokers.
Meanwhile, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will visit Bangladesh next year. Through this, the ambassador believes that the relationship between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia will reach a unique height. This year, 30,000 students will be given free eye treatment under the initiative of the King Salman Charity Organization of Saudi Arabia.
