Bangladesh, Qatar to sign 6 deals, 5 MoUs during Qatar emir’s visit

Bangladesh and Qatar will sign 11 cooperation documents -- six agreements and five MoUs -- as Dhaka is ready to welcome Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani tomorrow afternoon.

Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud came up with the update while briefing the media at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today.

Bangladesh Ambassador to Qatar Md Nazrul Islam and MoFA Spokesperson Seheli Sabrin, among others, were present.

The six agreements that will be signed between Bangladesh and Qatar on Tuesday are related to avoidance of double taxation and tax evasion; cooperation in legal affairs, mutual investment promotion and protection; transportation by sea; exchange of prisoners and formation of joint business council.

The five MoUs will be signed in the areas of manpower sector cooperation; port management; higher education and scientific research; cooperation in the field of youth and sports and cooperation in diplomatic training.

"With this visit, the relations between Bangladesh and Qatar will reach a new height. This is the first-ever high-level visit from any country of the Middle East after the formation of new government in January this year," said the foreign minister.

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Qatar emir arrives tomorrow

A high-level Qatari delegation headed by Qatar's emir will pay the state visit to Bangladesh at the invitation of the president and the prime minister of Bangladesh.

He is scheduled to arrive tomorrow afternoon by a special flight while President Mohammed Shahabuddin will receive the emir amid a gun salute and a wider ceremony at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

Apart from areas of cooperation on the bilateral front, global issues including Palestine-Israel will also be discussed where Bangladesh will highlight its position.

"Naturally, this discussion can come up. Killings in Gaza should be stopped. Everyone wants it. We want it," said the foreign minister.

Qatar, a country rich in petroleum and natural gas with the highest average per capita income, is considered an influential country in the Middle East due to its strong economy, geopolitical position and diplomatic activity and mediation, he said.

Responding to a question, he said the energy issue would come up for discussion with due importance and hoped that the visit would play an important role in ensuring Bangladesh's energy security.

Qatar is one of the important labour markets of Bangladesh in the Middle East where about four lakh Bangladeshis are working, he said, adding that Qatar is one of the most important sources of energy imports for Bangladesh.

"The visit of the emir of Qatar will be considered a milestone in the bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Qatar," Hasan said.

Through the successful implementation of Bangladesh's foreign policy under the opportune leadership of the prime minister, Bangladesh's relationship with Qatar will be strengthened, he added.

The government, in a gazette notification, has already declared the emir as a very important person during his two-day visit to Bangladesh.

Some of the Dhaka streets are seen decorated with photos of Qatar's emir, along with Bangladesh's president and the prime minister ahead of the visit.

Hasan said the existing bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Qatar are very "deep, friendly and multifaceted" and Qatar is one of the Muslim countries that recognised Bangladesh during Bangabandhu's government (in 1974).

He said the bilateral relations between the two countries have reached a strong position through the visit of the PM to Qatar in March and May 2023. In continuation of this, the emir of Qatar will visit Bangladesh.

Recently, Hasan said, the areas of trade, investment and employment creation, energy, aviation, agriculture, food security, climate change, etc. have been identified with the aim of expanding the scope of bilateral cooperation through diplomatic communication and discussions at various levels with Qatar.

As a token of friendship between Bangladesh and Qatar, the process of naming a road in Dhaka after the emir of Qatar is underway.

The emir will inaugurate the park in Kalshi area of Mirpur under Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and a road running from Mirpur ECB Chattar to Kalshi Flyover at 3:00pm.

On Tuesday morning, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will receive the emir at her office.

They will have tete-a-tete (one-to-one) meeting at the Prime Minister's Office which will be followed by bilateral meeting.

The two leaders will witness signing of cooperation documents and join a joint press meet.

After signing visitors' book there, the emir will head for Bangabhaban on Tuesday afternoon where the president will receive him.

President Shahabuddin will host official lunch in honour of the emir at Darbar Hall, Bangabhaban.

FM Hasan Mahmud will also have a courtesy meeting with the emir.

The emir will have a private meeting with selected business community members at his place of residence.

The emir is scheduled to depart Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport by a special flight at 6:00pm on Tuesday.

The foreign minister will see him off at the airport.

The State of Qatar recognised Bangladesh as a sovereign State on March 4, 1974, following the 2nd OIC Summit held in February 1974.

Bangladesh opened its diplomatic mission in Doha on June 25, 1975. The State of Qatar reciprocated by opening its diplomatic mission in Dhaka in 1982.