DHAKA: Bangladesh and Qatar have inked 10 cooperation agreements on Tuesday as Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani made his first official visit to Dhaka.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani witnessed the signing ceremony, marking agreements across various domains including investment, maritime transport, taxation, and legal affairs. They have also agreed to establish a joint business council between Bangladesh and Qatar.
Moreover, the two nations inked several memoranda of understanding covering diplomatic training, education, labor, youth and sports, as well as cooperation in port management.
Following these formalities, Sheikh Tamim engaged in discussions with President Mohammed Shahabuddin, focusing on bilateral investment opportunities.
Shahabuddin extended an invitation for Qatar to explore investments in Bangladesh’s special economic zones, emphasizing sectors like agro-production, food processing, petrochemicals, energy, and information technology. He also highlighted the potential for increased recruitment of skilled Bangladeshi workers by Qatar.
Currently, Qatar stands as Bangladesh’s primary supplier of liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Earlier this year, Qatar entered a significant 15-year agreement with Excelerate Energy, based in the US, to annually supply 1 million metric tons of LNG to Bangladesh, commencing in January 2026.
Moreover, Qatar hosts approximately 400,000 Bangladeshi expatriates, reflecting the strong ties between the two nations, especially in the realm of migrant labor from Bangladesh to Qatar.
