DHAKA: During the first official visit of Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani to Dhaka, Bangladesh and Qatar inked 10 cooperation agreements on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Tamim presided over the signing ceremony, which encompassed deals spanning investment, maritime transport, taxation, legal affairs, and the establishment of a joint business council between Bangladesh and Qatar.
Additionally, the two nations sealed several memoranda of understanding, covering diplomatic training, education, labor, youth and sports, as well as port management cooperation.
Following the ceremony, Sheikh Tamim engaged in discussions with President Mohammed Shahabuddin during his visit to Bangladesh, which marks the second leg of his Asia tour that commenced in the Philippines on Sunday.
During their dialogue, Shahabuddin extended an invitation to Qatar to invest in Bangladesh’s special economic zones.
“Bangladesh warmly welcomes investments across various sectors, including state-led food supply chains encompassing agro-production and processing, food packaging, smart agriculture, and fertilizer production,” stated Shahabuddin’s press secretary Joynal Abedin, addressing reporters post-meeting.
“Qatari investors can avail substantial incentives and support within sectors such as petrochemicals, energy, machinery, information technology, electronics, ceramics, agri-business, and food processing in Bangladesh.”
Shahabuddin also urged Sheikh Tamim to enhance the recruitment of skilled Bangladeshi workers during their discussions, Abedin revealed.
Qatar presently stands as the primary supplier of liquefied natural gas to Bangladesh. Earlier this year, the emirate sealed a 15-year agreement with US-based Excelerate Energy to provide 1 million metric tons annually of LNG to Bangladesh, starting January 2026.
Furthermore, the Gulf state is home to approximately 400,000 Bangladeshi expatriates, serving as a favored destination for migrant workers from the South Asian nation.
