Bangladesh and Qatar delegation meeting in a hotel in Dhaka.
Qatar, an oil-rich country in the Middle East, has come up with a proposal to join the sea trade port management of the region by building a trading corridor with the sea port of Bangladesh.
The Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani landed at Dhaka’s Shahjalal International Airport on Monday afternoon on a two-day visit. The President gave him a red carpet reception there. Sahabuddin.
A delegation of Bangladesh led by Prime Minister’s Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman F Rahman met with the Qatari delegation at a hotel in Dhaka at night. State Minister for Commerce Ahsanul Islam Titu, FBCCI President Mahbubul Alam were also present on the occasion.
After the meeting, Salman F. Rahman said, “There was a discussion about finding ways to increase trade between the two countries. Today I talked about trade and commerce, investment and trade. They are thinking about getting a trading corridor in Bangladesh. Said, ‘We want to see your port. I will see the possibility of creating a trading corridor here.’
“They have already prepared a big port in Qatar. There is also an economic zone around the port. That port is still underutilized.”
Citing the statement of the Qatari delegation, Salman said, “The total turnover in the port of Singapore is four to five times more than that of the countries of the GCC or the Arabian Delta region. Then we have to see the possibility of bringing some trading in this direction by making a connectivity between the port of Bangladesh and the port of Qatar.
“Plans between Bangladesh and Qatar on maritime trade are moving towards implementation in such a parallel manner.”
Chittagong sea port is the main sea port of Bangladesh. As the current depth is within 10 meters, deep sea mother vessels with a depth of 14 to 16 meters cannot fit here.
That is why another deep sea port is being planned to be constructed by constructing an artificial channel of 18 meters depth in Maheshkhali Island of Cox’s Bazar to increase the benefits of trade in the international sea.
The Cabinet also approved the proposal to form the Maheshkhali Integrated Development Authority or MIDA as part of setting up an authority to create a commercial hub in Maheshkhali.
The government sees the visit of Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to Bangladesh as an ‘investment opportunity’. Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud said that six agreements and five memorandums of understanding will be signed with Bangladesh during his visit.
He said in a press conference on Sunday, “There will be an agreement on the avoidance of double taxation and tax evasion, an agreement on cooperation in legal matters, an agreement on maritime transport, an agreement on mutual development and protection, an agreement on the exchange of prisoners and the establishment of a joint business council.”
The MoUs to be signed include cooperation in manpower, port management, cooperation in higher education and scientific research, cooperation in youth and sports and cooperation in diplomatic training.
