Visit by Qatar Emir to boost trade, energy co-op

Bangladesh and Qatar want to expand the existing ties with broader cooperation in the areas of manpower, energy, trade and investment following the planned visit of Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to Bangladesh next month.

The two countries are in discussion to finalise nearly a dozen of cooperation documents which will be signed during the visit, said a source at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The two-day visit is likely to take place on April 21-22, he said.

The two sides are now working on the MoUs and agreements that will be signed after the Emir's meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already held an inter-ministerial meeting to discuss various aspects of the visit.

In March last year, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had a meeting with the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on the sidelines of the United Nations Conference on Least Developed Countries (LDC5) in Doha.

She sought increased energy, particularly LNG, from Qatar to meet the energy demands.

The State of Qatar recognised Bangladesh as a sovereign State on March 4, 1974, following the 2nd OIC Summit held in February 1974.

Bangladesh opened its diplomatic mission in Doha on June 25, 1975. The State of Qatar reciprocated by opening its diplomatic mission in Dhaka in 1982.

Bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Qatar are based on mutual respect, shared values, common religious ground, shared culture, and tradition.

People-to-people contacts bolstered by more than four hundred thousand Bangladeshi workers who are highly appreciated as disciplined and hardworking are one of the dominant features of bilateral relations, according to the MoFA.

Bangladesh and Qatar consider each other as brotherly countries and important development partners in materialising Bangladesh's Vision 2041 and Qatar's vision 2030.