Qatar emir to visit Dhaka soon

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina calls on Qatar Emir Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani in Doha yesterday. Photo: PID

A new horizon in the relations between Bangladesh and Qatar is going to open up as the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, looks to visit Dhaka as soon as possible.
The emir expressed his intention at a meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Qatar National Convention Centre here on the sidelines of the 13th United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD XIII) conference yesterday.
The prime minister is now on a visit to Qatar with a high-level delegation to attend the conference.
PM's Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad briefed the newsmen about the outcome of the meeting.
During the meeting, the two leaders discussed in detail about how to boost bilateral cooperation in different areas particularly the way of increasing investment by the gulf state of Qatar in Bangladesh's infrastructure sector.
Referring to the recent visit of a Qatar investment team to Bangladesh, Emir Sheikh Hamad said Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Attiyah would visit Bangladesh as soon as possible in preparation for his visit.
The emir recalled his memories with Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family. He also referred to the common historic and religious ties between the two countries.
Prime Minister Hasina thanked the Qatar government for creating employment opportunities for around 130,000 Bangladeshis who are contributing to the economies of both countries.
She requested Qatar to recruit more Bangladeshis, especially in the sectors of information technology, engineering, management, accounting and banking.
The prime minister said Bangladesh's trade may increase if Qatar imports ceramics, pharmaceuticals, readymade garments (RMG), frozen fish and leather goods which are being marketed in the US and Europe.
She said Qatar may also help Bangladesh in constructing community health clinics and nursing training institutions, in gas exploration and liquefied natural gas export to Bangladesh and in the Balancing, Modernisation, Rehabilitation and Expansion of the country's lone oil refinery, Eastern Refinery.
Hasina also requested Qatar to invest in Bangladesh's power and energy sectors, textiles, information and communication technology, real estate, agro-processing, and other attractive sectors.
She thanked the Qatar government for arranging the UNCTAD XIII in Doha, giving her the opportunity to visit the gulf state for the second time in her present tenure.
Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, Ambassador at Large M Ziauddin, Principal Secretary to the PM Sheikh M Wahid Uz Zaman, Foreign Secretary Mijarul Quayes and Bangladesh Ambassador to Qatar Md Shahdat Hossain were also present.