What Dhaka expects from the Emir of Qatar’s visit to Bangladesh after twenty years

The current Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, is coming to Dhaka today (Monday) on a two-day state visit. Through this, an emir of the country is going to set foot on the soil of Bangladesh after almost two decades.

Besides, this is the first visit to Bangladesh by a head of state in the Middle East after the ruling Awami League came to power for the fourth consecutive term.

All in all, Bangladesh government is considering this visit of Emir of Qatar as very important.

But what exactly is Bangladesh hoping to achieve from this visit?

“I think this visit will play a very important role in increasing the energy reserves in our country and ensuring energy security,” Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud said at a press conference organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday afternoon.

Qatar is one of the largest labor markets of Bangladesh in the Middle East. Bangladesh is also heavily dependent on Qatar for energy imports, particularly liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Moreover, Qatar is becoming an ‘important player’ day by day in the international arena as well. As a result, analysts believe that Bangladesh wants to increase its closeness with them.

“The current position of Qatar in terms of labor market, energy dependence and international politics, the visit of the country’s emir is undoubtedly important for Bangladesh,” former Bangladeshi diplomat Humayun Kabir told BBC Bangla.

Earlier, in 2005, the then Emir of Qatar, Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, came to Bangladesh for the last time on a state visit.

After almost two decades, the current Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani is coming to Dhaka on a state visit.

The emir of Qatar is said to arrive in Dhaka on a special flight on Monday afternoon.

The President of Bangladesh will officially welcome him at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka. Sahabuddin.

Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud told reporters that at least 11 agreements and memorandums of understanding are likely to be signed between the two countries during the visit.

Among them, six agreements and five memorandum of understanding can be signed, he said.

Agreements include: Avoidance of Double Taxation, Cooperation in Legal Matters, Maritime Transport, Investment Promotion and Protection, Extradition of Sentenced Persons and Agreement on Establishment of Joint Trade Council.

On the other hand, MoUs on labor force, port management, higher education and scientific research, youth and sports cooperation and diplomatic training cooperation are said to be signed.

“Qatar’s existing bilateral relations with Bangladesh are very deep, friendly and multifaceted”, said Foreign Minister Mr. Mahmud.

He further said, “We hope, through this visit, the excellent friendly relations between the two countries will be elevated to greater heights.”

A road and a park in Dhaka are also being named after the Emir of Qatar.

“The park and the road are being named after the Amir to commemorate this bond of friendship between the two countries and his visit,” Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud told reporters.

It has been reported that the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani himself will inaugurate the park to be built in the Kalsi Sand Field area of ​​Mirpur, Dhaka and the road from Mirpur ECB Square to Kalsi Udal Bridge.

The Qatari government sees the Emir’s visit as a great opportunity for investment and trade.

“Qatar, which has a large amount of sovereign wealth, is a potential investment source for Bangladesh,” Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud said at the press conference.

Therefore, making Qatar interested in investing in Bangladesh is being given special importance in this visit.

It is already known that Qatar’s port management company Mawani has expressed interest in port management in Bangladesh. In particular, the company wants to manage the port under construction at Matarbari in Maheshkhali.

However, Bangladesh has not yet taken any final decision on giving the organization the responsibility of managing the port. However, in the context of linking Mawani Qatar, it is known that a memorandum of understanding may be signed by the company with the Chittagong Port Authority during this visit.

“Qatar has a global reputation for port management. So if they want to invest in Bangladesh, that’s definitely good news,” Khandkar Gholam Moazzem, research director at think tank Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD), told BBC Bangla.

Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud also said that Qatar will be offered a separate economic zone to create interest in investment.

Besides, the government is also emphasizing on the export of goods to Qatar.

“Garments are there, besides we have ceramic products, medicines and many other non-traditional items. We are trying to increase their exports”, Foreign Minister said to reporters. Mahmud.

Bangladesh signed a 15-year deal in 2017 to import liquefied natural gas or LNG from Qatar.

As per the agreement, the government now imports about 40 containers (1.8-2.5 MTA) of fuel per year, which is used for various purposes including power generation.

Bangladesh now wants more LNG supply to ensure energy security. For that purpose, the government also signed a long-term agreement with Qatar last year.

According to the deal, Bangladesh will receive an additional 1.8 MMT of LNG from Qatar every year, with supplies starting from 2026.

But due to the energy crisis, electricity production in Bangladesh has already started to be disrupted.

As a result, it is reported that there may be a discussion with the Emir of Qatar on whether the supply of liquefied natural gas can be increased before 2026.

“The long-term agreement we have with Qatar on fuel is a good time for the government to think about how it can be taken forward in a more creative way and the visit of such high-level leaders,” former diplomat Humayun Kabir told BBC Bengal.

Meanwhile, CPD advises to give importance to Qatar’s investment in Bangladesh’s renewable energy sector in addition to gas imports.

“Since they are dealing with the energy sector, the government can try to attract them to invest in Bangladesh’s renewable energy sector,” CPD research director Khandaker Golam Moazzem told BBC Bangla.

There are currently more than four lakh Bangladeshis working in Qatar as a government, most of them as unskilled workers.

As a result, they get lower wages and other benefits compared to skilled workers in other countries.

“They take skilled workers from India and Pakistan. We send low skilled and unskilled workers. As a result, even after working more, they cannot send remittance accordingly”, said Abul Bashar, president of Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA) to BBC Bangla.

“That is why the government should talk to Qatar about exporting skilled workers. Because we currently have enough skilled workers”, said Mr. Bashar.

The foreign minister said that the matter will be discussed during this visit.

“We will discuss with the Amir how we can send more skilled workers to Qatar,” Hasan Mahmood told reporters.

It is reported that more than a hundred Bangladeshi citizens are imprisoned in various prisons in Qatar. It was earlier informed by the government that discussions are going on to bring them back.

“It is no longer just a discussion. The agreement is going to be signed”, Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud told reporters on Sunday.

The agreement will allow the two countries to hand over sentenced prisoners. As a result, the government believes that it will be possible to bring back the Bangladeshi citizens who are imprisoned in Qatar.

Earlier, Bangladesh has signed a prisoner exchange agreement with India and Thailand.

Bangladesh signed a memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation with Qatar in March 2023. However, it is reported that it has not been implemented yet.

However, the issue of increasing defense cooperation may be discussed during the Emir of Qatar’s visit to Dhaka.

Bangladesh Coast Guard currently has a Memorandum of Understanding with the Qatar Navy. Under this, Coast Guard members are working in Qatar.

And if the memorandum of understanding signed last year becomes effective, it is said that other members of the defense forces of Bangladesh will also get the opportunity to work in Qatar.

The government is going to sign a memorandum of understanding during the Emir’s visit to Qatar to create opportunities for higher education and research programs for Bangladeshis.

As a result, analysts believe that new doors for higher education abroad may be opened for the citizens of Bangladesh.

“Qatar is now very advanced in education and almost all the world’s famous universities are opening branches there”, former diplomat Humayun Kabir told BBC Bengal.

Therefore, if we can create opportunities by discussing with the Emir of the country, students of this country will get more opportunities to study and research in big universities, he said.

“This visit of the Emir of Qatar is very important in that respect”, said Mr. to BBC Bangla. Kabir.

Besides, the Israel-Gaza war may also be discussed in this visit.

Because the Emir of Qatar is coming to Bangladesh at a time when there is a new conflict in the Middle East. And Qatar is playing the role of a mediator in resolving the conflict.

Therefore, it is known that Bangladesh’s position regarding this conflict may be presented in front of Qatar.