The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Leaders of Bangladesh Business Community (BBC), based in Riyadh, yesterday said if the prevailing banking complexities in sending money from Saudi Arabia can be removed, the amount of remittance would be double.

Addressing a press conference at a local hotel in the capital, BBC President Mohammad Sharif Hossain alleged that the remittance is not reached to the recipients in time due to banking complexities.

'Money sent for the Eid festival is yet to reach to the recipients,' he said, adding, 'some banks take 10 days to 30 days to delivery money.'

He said, the BBC leaders requested the Chief Adviser and the Army Chief while they were in Saudi Arabia to perform the holy Haj, for taking steps to remove the barriers with the banks in sending the remittances. Replying to a question, he said some two million Bangladeshis staying in Saudi Arabia sent 44 percent of the total remittance in the last fiscal year.

Sharif Hossain announced that the BBC is going to organise the 4th single-country trade fair in Riyadh in Saudi Arabia from March 12 next year with a view to promoting export of Bangladeshi products there.

The Saudi Commerce Minister is expected to inaugurate the five-day long fair, he said.

Replying to a question, the BBC President said there is a huge market of pharmaceutical and readymade garments in Saudi Arabia.

There are also huge market of non-conventional items, like lungi, clock and napkin in Saudi Arabia as there are huge number of expatriate Bangladesh is and Indian community, he said.

He said, some 200 Bangladeshi stalls, 50 from the real estate companies, under the umbrella of REHAB would be set up in the fair.

Leather and jute products, tea, jewelries, cables and melamine products, among others, would be displayed in the fair, he hoped.

Among others, Bangladeshi businessman Sheikh Mohammad Ali Jinnah, TAM Fakhrul Basher, REHAB member Rafiqunnabi, BBC Adviser Mohammad Hanif, Bangladesh Liaison Officer Muhammad Munirul Huq, Mukhlesur Rahman and Md Mahbubur Rahman were present on the occasion.

The fair will be organised in collaboration with the Bangladesh Embassy in Riyadh.