‘The investment environment in Bangladesh is attractive,’ he said, replying to a question at a joint press conference held after a meeting with foreign minister AK Abdul Momen in Dhaka.

Reforms and changes in the legal matters in Bangladesh have attracted the Saudi investors and more than 30 Saudi companies want to invest in this country, the visiting Saudi minister said.

The Saudi government is funding projects involving infrastructure and connectivity in Bangladesh, he added.

Saudi public and private companies are keen to invest in Bangladesh in infrastructure development, power, port, energy and renewable energy sectors, according to the Saudi delegation that joined an investment summit held in Dhaka on November 29 and 30,

Foreign minister Momen said that Saudi Arabia was providing support to Bangladesh in various areas, including moves towards sending back over 1 million Rohingya people to their home in Rakhine of Myanmar.

The press briefing was held after a meeting between the two ministers and a diplomatic briefing for foreign diplomats in Dhaka.

Momen briefed on prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s participation in the UN climate conference COP26, Rohingya issues, treatment of former prime minister and opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party chief Khaleda Zia, the ongoing union parishad elections and the upcoming world peace conference set to be held in Dhaka in December 4-5.

Momen claimed that enthusiasm for the union parishad elections was very high as it was inclusive, free, fair and transparent.

‘The only bad thing is that, in some cases, out of enthusiasm, there are a few fatalities,’ the minister said. ‘We don’t want to see any fatality in any election, but I don’t know how it can be done.’

Violence in the UP elections should be stopped as ‘voters never make mistakes,’ he added.

The diplomats did not enquire about the UP elections, he said.