Dhaka requested Doha for recruiting more workers from Bangladesh as the two countries on Tuesday signed a total of 10 bilateral documents, including five agreements, mainly on matters related to promotion of mutual investments, manpower, formation of a joint business forum and avoidance of double taxation.聽
Qatar emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina witnessed the signing of five agreements and five memorandums of understanding at the latter鈥檚 Tejgaon office following a bilateral talks between the two leaders.
Hasina welcomed the Qatar emir at the Prime Minister鈥檚 Office.
鈥楾he issues that came up for discussion were expediting聽 collaboration on trade and investment, energy and power, manpower, defence, education, agriculture and food security etc. Both sides also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interests including war in Gaza and repatriation of the Myanmar nationals Rohingya,鈥� said a foreign ministry release.
The prime minister requested the Qatar emir to consider recruiting more workers, professionals, nurses, technicians, caregivers etc. from Bangladesh and the Qatar emir responded positively, it mentioned.
Both the leaders also witnessed the opening and naming of an avenue from ECB circle to Kalshi point and a park in Dhaka鈥檚 Mirpur after the emir of the State of Qatar.
In her opening remarks, Hasina appreciated the remarkable advancement and transformation of Qatar as an advanced knowledge-based multi-cultural society and Qatar鈥檚 important role in mediation and multilateral diplomacy under the stewardship of the emir.
Both the leaders also 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.聽聽
The agreements signed between the two countries were on avoidance of double taxation and prevention of fiscal evasion with respect of taxes in income between Bangladesh and Qatar, cooperation in legal matters, maritime transport between the two countries, promotion and protection of mutual investment and establishment of the Bangladesh-Qatar joint business council.
The MoUs included cooperation in the manpower employment, cooperation in the port management, cooperation in the field of education, higher education and聽 scientific research, cooperation in youth and sports and cooperation in diplomatic training.
The Qatar emir paid the visit at the invitation of the Bangladesh president, which coincided with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The emir led a high-level delegation comprising members from government and private sectors which included, among others, chief of Amir-i Diwan, minister for commerce and industry, state minister for foreign affairs, chairman of the Qatar chamber of commerce and Industry, chief of Asia and Africa investments of Qatar investment authority, directors of Asian affairs and studies and research and so on.聽
This was the first state-level incoming visit after the formation of the new government of Hasina through the January 7 general elections.聽聽
During the bilateral talks, both sides appreciated the longstanding bilateral cooperation between the two countries and discussed the means and ways to enhance and take forward the ties further through increased interaction, people-to-people contact and exchange of visit at all levels including official, business and political leadership.
The Qatar emir commended Bangladesh as an emerging investment destination and thanked both sides for inking the agreement on investment promotion and protection between Qatar and Bangladesh while expressing his keenness to explore business in potentials in Bangladesh.
During the exchange of views, Hasina welcomed the formation of a joint business council between the chamber bodies of the two countries and urged Qatari side to ease visa procedure for the business circles to facilitate the interaction and engagements between the business communities.
She offered Qatari investors and businessmen to develop tourism sectors in Cox鈥檚 Bazar and also explore investment opportunities in exclusive economic zone dedicated for them.
The Qatar emir welcomed the proposals for investment in EEZ and in Cox鈥檚 Bazar tourist spots saying that he would ask representatives from Qatar investment authority and Qatari business delegations to visit Bangladesh and see for themselves the investment prospects in the proposed sectors, according to the foreign ministry release.
Before the bilateral talks, both the leaders also held an exclusive tete-a-tete discussion where they exchanged views on matters of mutual interests and priorities, it said.聽
The emir and his delegation members also called on president Mohammed Shahabuddin at Bangabhaban in the afternoon, where they exchanged views on various bilateral issues.
The president thanked the Qatar emir for employing three lakh and fifty thousand Bangladeshi workforces in Qatar and requested to recruit more skilled and semiskilled workers from Bangladesh. .聽
Later, the emir joined an official luncheon followed by a cultural programme at Bangabhaban in his honour by the president.聽
The emir of Qatar left Dhaka on Tuesday afternoon for Nepal.