Trade at centre stage between Dhaka, Doha

Looking to diversify trade and investments in a changed geopolitical atmosphere, Qatar and Bangladesh yesterday signed 10 deals, including agreements on cooperation on ports, and overseas employment and welfare.

Visiting Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday had a bilateral meeting in which ways to expedite collaboration on trade and investment, power and energy, employment, defence, education, maritime security, agriculture, and food security were discussed.

Both leaders expressed concerns over the escalation of tension and violence in the Middle East and called for global leaders to take effective measures for a sustainable solution to the issue of Palestine. They also talked about the repatriation of the Rohingyas.

Yesterday, Hasina and Al Thani had a one-to-one meeting after the two led their delegations in a bilateral meeting at the Prime Minister's Office.

Prof Delwar Hossain of the International Relations Department at Dhaka University told The Daily Star that Qatari emir's visit a year after Hasina's visit to Qatar and the signing of the new deals has given the already good bilateral relationship a stronger institutional framework.  

Qatar, which has a sovereign wealth fund of $475 billion, is keen on diversifying its trade and investments, while Bangladesh, an emerging economy, is eager to get foreign investments and diversify trade. Both the countries also have diplomatic leverage and the relationship can go a long way if officials of the countries utilise the prospects, he said.

Emir Al Thani arrived in Dhaka on Monday afternoon, 19 years after then Qatar emir Shaikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani visited Bangladesh.

The two countries celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relationship this year.

Apart from the deals on cooperation on ports, maritime transport, promotion and protection of trade and investment, and manpower employment and welfare, five memorandums of understanding were signed.

They are on avoidance of double taxation and prevention of tax evasion; cooperation in the legal field, education, higher education and scientific research; youth and sports; diplomatic training; and establishing a Bangladesh-Qatar joint business council.

The bilateral trade between the countries is more than $3.5 billion, with Bangladesh importing some $2.70 billion worth of LNG, fertiliser and other petroleum products. For Bangladesh, a major stake is the near 4 lakh Bangladeshi workers in the Gulf nation.

The MoU on employment is aimed at enhancing cooperation to address Bangladeshi migrants' problems and creating opportunities for skilled manpower, an official of the expatriates' welfare ministry said.

Bangladesh also wants Qatar's investment in the energy sector, including in renewables.

Earlier, Foreign Minister Hasan Hamud said the issue of supplying LNG under deferred payment might be discussed.

The foreign ministry statement yesterday did not mention any talks on deferred payment.

A foreign ministry official said cooperation between MWANI Qatar and Chattogram Port Authority on ports demonstrates Qatar's interest in investing in port management.

The official said Bangladesh is building a deep-sea port in Matarbari and has other ports. Development of these will be crucial for the country's economy. Qatar can be a major partner in this, he added.

Talking to The Daily Star on the agreement on maritime transport cooperation, Director General Commodore Mohammad Maksud Alam of the Department of Shipping said the trade between Qatar and Bangladesh has increased and there are issues regarding seafarers' free movement, security, and the nations cooperation after any kind of mishap.

"The agreement details ways to provide legal and logistic support," he said.

Bangladesh last year signed an agreement with Qatar to send 1,129 members of Bangladesh's armed forces to Qatar. Bangladesh yesterday requested Qatar to implement the deal.

At the bilateral meeting, Hasina appreciated Qatar's remarkable transformation into an advanced knowledge-based multicultural society and its role in mediation and multilateral diplomacy, according to the foreign ministry statement.

The Qatar emir commended Bangladesh for becoming an emerging investment destination and expressed his keenness to explore business potentials in Bangladesh.

He recognised the role of the Bangladesh expatriate community in Qatar's development and responded positively to Hasina's request to recruit more workers, professionals, nurses, technicians, and caregivers from Bangladesh.

Hasina also urged Qatar to ease the visa procedure for Bangladeshi businesspeople.

She offered Qatari investors and businessmen the opportunity to develop tourism in Cox's Bazar and explore investment opportunities in the Exclusive Economic Zone.

Al Thani said he would ask representatives of the Qatar Investment Authority and Qatari business delegations to see the prospects for themselves.

He also requested Hasina to send business delegations to Qatar to explore possible investment opportunities in the Qatari Free Economic Zone.

An avenue, from ECB Circle to Kalshi, and a park in Mirpur were named after the emir yesterday. Al Thani and Hasina witnessed the event via live video feed.

Qatar Trade and Industry Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Thani, State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Qatar Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi, Chairman of Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry (QCCI) Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim Al Thani; Bangladesh Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq, Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun, Youth and Sports Minister Nazmul Hassan, State Minister for Finance Waseqa Ayesha Khan, State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, State Minister for Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment of Bangladesh Shafiqur Rahaman Chowdhury and President of Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries Mahbubul Alam signed the deals yesterday.

PRESIDENT SEEKS INVESTMENT

The emir attended a lunch hosted by President Mohammed Shahabuddin at the Bangabhaban.

During his meeting with the Qatari emir, President Shahabuddin sought investment in the Special Economic Zones, reports BSS.

"Bangladesh government has set up 100 Special Economic Zones for foreign investors and Qatari investors can invest there. They may invest in agro and processing, food packaging, smart agriculture and fertiliser production," he told the emir.

The president said Qatari investors could avail the comprehensive incentives and support by investing in sectors like petrochemicals, energy, machinery, IT, electronics, ceramics, agri-business and food processing in the Special Economic Zones.

Al Thani left for Nepal yesterday afternoon.