Dhaka has taken all preparations to sign at least 11 deals with Doha on issues relating to investment promotion, cooperation in legal matters, establishment of joint business council, manpower and transfer of sentenced prisoners as Qatar emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani arrived in the city on Monday on a two-day state visit.
President Mohammed Shahabuddin welcomed the Qatar emir with a red carpet reception and gun salute at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani arrived at about 5:00pm at the invitation of the president of Bangladesh.
The bilateral talks between the Qatar emir and the Bangladesh prime minister, Sheikh Hasina would he held at the Prime Minister鈥檚 Office at about 10:00am today, officials said.
鈥楨leven instruments鈥攕ix agreements and five memorandums of understanding鈥攎ainly related to bilateral investments, manpower, port operations, cooperation in legal matters and transfer of sentenced prisoners are readied for signing,鈥� foreign聽 minister Hasan Mahmud told a press conference at his Segunbagicha office on Sunday.
The high-level visit would be of much significance since Qatar is an influential Arab nation and an important source of fuel oil imports for Bangladesh, he said, adding that this would be the first high-level visit to Bangladesh from an Arab nation since the present government of Sheikh Hasina took charge following the January 7 general elections.
The six draft agreements are related to the avoidance of double taxation and fiscal evasion, cooperation in legal matters, carriage of goods by sea, mutual investment promotion and protection, exchange of sentenced persons and formation of a joint business council, the minister mentioned.
The five MoUs relate to manpower, port management, higher education and scientific research, cooperation in youth and sports affairs, and cooperation in diplomatic training, according to the minister.
President Shahabuddin will host an official lunch in honour of the emir at Darbar Hall followed by a cultural programme at Bangabhaban today.
Qatar emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, however, is not going to visit the National Memorial at Savar around 35km off the city although the protocol is maintained during the state-level visit as a symbol of honour to all those who sacrificed their lives for the country鈥檚 war of independence.
鈥楺atar emir鈥檚 schedule did not include the visit to the National Memorial at Savar. He has even cancelled his meeting with the foreign minister due to his tight schedule in Dhaka,鈥� foreign minister Hasan Mahmud said earlier on the day while responding to a reporter鈥檚 question at a press conference at his office.聽聽聽聽
He said that the emir was supposed to inaugurate the naming of a city road after his own name physically, but he had cancelled the event also on the same ground.聽
Several foreign ministry officials said that the heads of states or governments had their own preferences due to different cultural and religious ideologies and there were instances that they did not visit the National Memorial during their visits to Bangladesh.
Asked about specific instances, a senior official said that the president of the Republic of France, Emmanuel Macron, during his visit to Bangladesh in September, 2023 did not go to the National Memorial apparently due to his busy schedule.
The French president, however, paid homage to the country鈥檚 founding president, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, at the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi 32 in the city.
The emir scheduled to depart from the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport by a special flight at 6:00pm today.
