Visiting Saudi Imam of the Holy Masjid-E Nababi in Madina Shaikh Dr. Abdullah bin Abdur Rahman Al-Bua`Yjan on Sunday said Bangladesh is his second country.

"The people of Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia are very close due to religious bonds despite geographical distance between the two countries," he said.

Shaikh Dr. Abdullah bin Abdur Rahman Al-Bua`Yjan said this when he called on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence Ganobhaban.

After the meeting, Prime Minister's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters.

Shaikh Dr. Abdullah bin Abdur Rahman Al-Bua`Yjan said that he is praying for the well-being of the prime minister and the people of Bangladesh.

He also prayed to the Almighty Allah for the long life of the prime minister and for granting her the ability to serve the holy religion Islam and the Muslim Ummah.

He also informed the prime minister that most of the Khadems working in Masjid-e Nababi are Bangladeshi nationals.

Pointing out model mosques being constructed across the country, the Imam of the holy mosque said, the Almighty Allah gives numerous blessings to those who build mosques.

At the meeting, the premier welcomed the Imam of Masjid-e Nababi in Dhaka and said that his presence at the National Imam Conference 2023 would encourage the people of Bangladesh towards the true essence of Islam.

She said that attempts were made to kill her several times and she survived those attempts for the blessings of Almighty Allah.

Referring to her performing Hajj, the premier said that she performed Hajj for the first time in 1984 and later she also performed Hajj on behalf of her father and mother.

During the time, Sheikh Hasina said that she will attend the upcoming Conference of Muslim Female Leaders to be held in Jeddah and will offer Ziarat of the holy Rawjah Mubarak of Prophet Hazrat Mohammad (Peace be upon him).

In reply, Shaikh Dr. Abdullah bin Abdur Rahman Al-Bua`Yjan said that he will be eagerly waiting to receive the prime minister at the holy Masjid-e Nababi in Madina.

Prime Minister's Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman Fazlur Rahman, State Minister for Religious Affairs Md Faridul Haque Khan, Ambassador-at-large Mohammad Ziauddin, PMO Secretary Mohammad Salahuddin, Religious Affairs Secretary Md A Hamid Zamadder and Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Essa bin Yousef Al Duhailan were present.

Earlier, Chief Executive Officer of the Global Centre on Adaptation-GCA Prof. Dr. Patrick V. Verkooijen also called on the prime minister at the same venue.

The Press Secretary said that Prof. Dr. Patrick V. Verkooijen highly appreciated the leadership of the prime minister on the issue of climate change in the international forums.

During the time, he showed the model of the headquarters of Notre dame in the Netherlands which looks like a floating water vehicle, while the PM expressed her willingness to build a similar establishment in Bangladesh.

The Chief Executive Officer of the GCA said that about $320 million US dollars have so far been spent for the climate change issues.

In response, Sheikh Hasina said that her government has been working to create green belt on the coastal regions through tree plantation programmes, while her party Awami League has been planting saplings for afforestation since 1985.

Ambassador-at-large Mohammad Ziauddin, Special Envoy to the Climate Vulnerable Forum's Presidency Abul Kalam Azad and PMO's Secretary Mohammad Salahuddin were present.