Qatar Amir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani leaves Dhaka

After a two-day state visit to Bangladesh, Amir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani departed Dhaka today afternoon.

According to a foreign ministry press statement, the visit of the Qatari Amir greatly increased mutual understanding and friendship between the two nations.

According to the release, this high-level visit is probably going to have a big impact on how relationships are further cemented and how the bilateral relations are taken to the next level.

On April 22–23, the Amir of the State of Qatar paid a two-day visit at the president of Bangladesh’s request.

The Chief of Amir-i Diwan, the Minister of Commerce and Industry, the State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Qatar, the Chairman of the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Chief of Asia and Africa Investments of the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), the Directors of Asian Affairs, and Studies and Research were among the members of the high-level delegation he led from both the public and private sectors.

The Amir was greeted with a red carpet arrival by President Mohammed Shahabuddin. He was also given a guard of honor at the airport.

Senior government officials attended the reception, along with Ministers for Liberation War Affairs, Home Affairs, and Foreign Affairs, State Minister for Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources, and State Minister for Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment.

This visit also happens to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the start of diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and Qatar. It was the first state-level incoming visit since the new government took office in January of this year.

A productive bilateral meeting was held today at the Prime Minister’s Office between the delegations from Qatar, led by the Qatari Amir, and Bangladesh, led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

In the course of the bilateral discussions, both parties expressed gratitude for the long-standing bilateral cooperation between their nations and talked about how to strengthen and advance those ties through increased interaction, people-to-people contact, and visitation at all levels, including official, business, and political leadership.

Accelerating cooperation on trade and investment, energy and power, labor, defense, education, agriculture, and food security, among other topics, were discussed.

Both sides also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interests including war in Gaza and repatriation of the Myanmar nationals Rohingya. Both the leaders expressed deep concerns over the escalation of tension and violence in the Middle East and called for the global leaders to take effective measures for a durable solution to the question of Palestine.

In her opening remarks, the Prime Minister deeply appreciated the remarkable advancement and transformation of Qatar as an advanced knowledge-based multi-cultural society and Qatar’s important role in mediation and multilateral diplomacy under stewardship of the Amir.
 
She expressed her gratitude to Qatar for being one of the few Gulf countries that recognized Bangladesh during the lifetime of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

The Qatar Amir appreciated the remarkable economic developments of Bangladesh under the dynamic leadership of the Prime Minister.

He expressed his eagerness to investigate business opportunities in Bangladesh and praised Bangladesh as a developing investment destination. He also congratulated both parties for signing the agreement on investment promotion and protection between Qatar and Bangladesh.

The Amir acknowledged the beneficial contributions that the expatriate community from Bangladesh is making to the development of Qatar and the economies of both nations.

In this regard, the prime minister asked the amir of Qatar to think about hiring more professionals, laborers, nurses, technicians, caregivers, and so forth from Bangladesh; the amir of Qatar replied favorably.

During the discussion, the prime minister of Bangladesh praised the establishment of the Joint Business Council (JBC) between the chamber bodies of the two nations and urged Qatar to simplify the business circles’ visa application process in order to promote communication and engagements between the business communities.

She extended an invitation to businesspeople and investors from Qatar to investigate investment prospects in the Exclusive Economic Zone set aside for them, as well as to promote the tourism industry in Cox’s Bazar.

The recommendations for investment in the EEZ and Cox’s Bazar tourist areas were welcomed by the Qatar Amir, who also declared that he would invite corporate delegations from Qatar and officials of the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) to visit Bangladesh and assess the investment opportunities in the suggested sectors.

In addition, he updated the group on Qatar’s Free Economic Zone and asked the Prime Minister to send corporate delegations to the country to look into potential investment opportunities.

Both leaders expressed satisfaction over existing bilateral cooperation in the energy sector and added that both sides were working together to further advance the engagement to a partnership level in the near future.
 
Before the bilateral talks, both the leaders also held an exclusive Tête-à-tête discussion where they exchanged views on matters of mutual interests and priorities.

After the bilateral talks, the delegation leaders witnessed signing of a total of ten Agreements and Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) between Bangladesh and the State of Qatar.

Both the leaders also witnessed the opening and naming of a prominent avenue from ECB circle to Kalshi point and a park in Mirpur in Dhaka City after the Amir of the State of Qatar.

The Amir and his delegation members also called on the President at Bangabhaban in the afternoon where they exchanged views on various bilateral issues.

The President expressed gratitude to the Amir of Qatar for hiring 30,000 Bangladeshi laborers in Qatar and asked for the recruitment of additional skilled and semi-skilled workers from Bangladesh.Later, President Mohammed Shahabuddin hosted an official luncheon and a cultural program at Bangabhaban in the Amir’s honor.

The prime minister, cabinet members, and other dignitaries attended the luncheon.