Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar is now in Dhaka on a significant visit. On Monday afternoon, Amir stepped on the soil of Bangladesh on a special flight. Amir was warmly welcomed by President Mohammad Sahabuddin at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. At this time, he was welcomed in a royal ceremony. The Amir, who is visiting Bangladesh on the joint invitation of the President and the Prime Minister, will hold an official meeting with the head of state and government today. Moreover, a state banquet will be organized in honor of the Amir at Bangabhaban. It will be attended by the Amir, his entourage and important domestic and foreign guests. However, Aamir is reportedly not participating in other programs proposed outside the Banga Bhavan and the Prime Minister’s Office. However, the reason for the ongoing hit web, security or lack of time? It was not clear. Foreign Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmood, however, said the emir of Qatar was not attending the inauguration of the two facilities in Mirpur due to ‘lack of time’.
The foreign minister also clarified the fact that the emir of Qatar did not go to pay his respects at the National Memorial or at the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum in Dhanmondi. He said that he has come to Dhaka for a short period of time. Very tight schedule. That’s why there are many places where you want to go, but they don’t happen. Even the foreign minister said that he is not getting a separate meeting. Hasan Mahmud. The park to be built on Balur field in Mirpur’s Kalshi and the road from Mirpur ECB premises to Kalshi flyover are being named after the Emir of Qatar. In a press conference organized on the occasion of the Emir’s visit on Sunday, the Foreign Minister said that the Emir of Qatar will personally inaugurate these two facilities on Tuesday.
Aamir welcomed in lavish event: The important guest was welcomed in a red carpet reception. The Amir was greeted with 21 rounds of gunfire as he landed at the airport. Amir was later taken to a makeshift welcome stage. He was given a guard of honor as part of the state honours. At this time, the national anthems of the two countries were played. Later the Emir of Qatar visited the parade. President Mohammad Sahabuddin introduced the Emir of Qatar to those waiting in the presentation line and the Emir also introduced the President to the Qatari delegation. Minister of Liberation War A. K. Mozammel Haque, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, Foreign Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud, State Minister for Expatriate Welfare and Foreign Employment Shafikur Rahman Chowdhury, State Minister for Electricity, Energy and Mineral Resources. Nasrul Hamid Bipu, chiefs of the three forces, principal secretary to the prime minister, foreign secretary, concerned secretaries of the president’s office and senior military and civil officers were present at the airport ceremony. Amir is visiting Dhaka on the special invitation of President Sahabuddin and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. This morning, the Minister of Foreign Affairs will have a courtesy meeting with the Emir of Qatar. Hasan Mahmud. Later, he will hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Shimul Hall of the Prime Minister’s Office. Six agreements and five memorandums of understanding (MOUs) are set to be signed between the two countries after the meeting. Notable among these are the Agreement on Avoidance of Double Taxation and Tax Evasion, Cooperation in Legal Matters, Maritime Transport, Promotion and Protection of Mutual Investments, Transfer of Convicts and Establishment of a Joint Trade Council, and five MoUs on Cooperation in Labour, Higher Education and Scientific Research and Diplomatic Training. (MoU). Amir will go to Bangabhaban after the formalities of Prime Minister’s office. There, President Sahabuddin hosted a luncheon in honor of the Emir of Qatar. The government sees the visit of Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to Bangladesh as an ‘investment opportunity’. The foreign minister called the visit ‘important’. Hasan Mahmud said the previous day, the visit is very significant. Because Qatar is a petroleum-rich country with the highest average per capita income. A country with a strong economy. Qatar is known as an influential country in the Middle East due to its geopolitical location and diplomatic mediation. It is also one of the labor markets of Bangladesh, where about 4 lakh Bangladeshis are working. Also this tour is considered as a potential source of investment. An important source of energy imports for Bangladesh. The relationship between Qatar and Bangladesh has been friendly since independence. Hasan Mahmud said, the relationship of friendship is long. Qatar was one of the Muslim countries that recognized Bangladesh during the Bangabandhu era. In 2023, the relationship between Qatar and Bangladesh has strengthened again. This is the continuation of Qatar’s great Muhim Amir’s visit to Bangladesh. Recently, in order to increase the scope of diplomatic communication and bilateral cooperation at various levels with Qatar, the areas of investment and job creation, energy, aviation, agriculture, food security, climate change, etc. have been identified. The foreign minister also said that a proposal to make an economic zone in Bangladesh will be made during the visit of the Emir of Qatar. He said, we have ceramics, we have garment products, we have many other export items, I will ask them to increase exports. Apart from this we have medicine. They are still exported, I would ask to increase their volume. He said, I will also discuss their investment in Bangladesh, especially in our economic zone. We will want investment, Qatar can invest in various fields, can invest in the economic sector.
Everything Bangladesh is looking for in the Emir’s visit: After almost two decades, an Emir of Qatar set foot on the soil of Bangladesh. Apart from this, this is the first visit to Bangladesh by a head of state from 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? BBC Bangla has made an estimate of it. It is said that the Foreign Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud said that the visit of the Emir of Qatar will play a very important role in increasing the energy reserves in the country and ensuring energy security. 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. Diplomat Humayun Kabir thinks that the current position of Qatar in the labor market, energy dependence and international politics, this visit of the Emir of the country is undoubtedly important for Bangladesh. Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the then Emir of Qatar (father of the present Emir) last visited Bangladesh in 2005. It may be recalled 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. Although Bangladesh has not yet taken any final decision on giving the organization the responsibility of managing this 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. Research director of research institute Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD) Khandaker Gholam Moazzem believes that Qatar has a global reputation in terms of port management. So if they want to invest in Bangladesh, that is definitely good news.
