Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud held discussions with Bahrain's new ambassador-designate to Bangladesh, Abdul Rahman Mohamed Al Gaoud, on Wednesday. They addressed the re-issuance of visas for Bangladeshi expatriates' family members stranded in Bangladesh due to the Covid-19 pandemic, seeking Bahrain's cooperation to reunite them with their families in Bahrain.

During the meeting, Al Gaoud acknowledged the contributions of Bangladeshi expatriates in Bahrain and emphasized the positive impact they have made across various sectors. He also expressed readiness to present his credentials to the president, marking the beginning of his diplomatic tenure in Bangladesh.

A key topic of discussion was the potential enhancement of direct air connectivity between Chittagong, Bangladesh, and Manama, Bahrain. Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud proposed increased flights operated by Gulf Airlines between these cities to strengthen people-to-people ties, a suggestion welcomed by the ambassador-designate.

Both parties described the relations between Bangladesh and Bahrain as excellent and expressed optimism for expanding cooperation across various sectors, including trade, manpower employment, culture, and education. They also discussed enhancing trade and investment avenues and Bahrain's plans to establish a diplomatic mission in Dhaka to bolster business and cultural exchanges.

Ambassador-designate Al Gaoud also met with Foreign Secretary Masud bin Momen to further explore bilateral interests and collaborative opportunities.