Arakan News Agency
Bangladesh has announced its plan to accelerate the issuance of passports for approximately 69,000 Rohingya living in Saudi Arabia, in a move aimed at addressing existing delays and facilitating their legal status.
The announcement came during a meeting at the Ministry of Home Affairs in Dhaka between Bangladesh’s Home Affairs Adviser, retired Lieutenant General Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, and the Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh, Dr. Abdullah Jafar bin Abiyyah, where both sides discussed the progress made and the challenges facing the passport issuance process.
According to Jago News 24 on Thursday, the Home Affairs Adviser explained that Bangladesh’s missions in Saudi Arabia are working closely with the Immigration and Passport Department, supported by special teams sent from the Home Ministry, to expedite application registration and verification. He noted that progress has been made, although attendance at registration centers remains lower than expected compared to the number of applicants.
He added that Saudi authorities have been informed of the existing difficulties, and cooperation between the two countries continues to find effective solutions to complete the process as quickly as possible.
The meeting also addressed other bilateral issues, including labor migration, trade relations, and security cooperation, as well as preparations for Bangladesh’s upcoming national elections. The adviser affirmed that security agencies are fully prepared to maintain law and order during the electoral process.
