Bangladesh, Qatar to sign 6 deals, 5 MoUs during Qatar emir’s state visit

Bangladesh and Qatar will sign 11 cooperation documents – six agreements and five memorandums of understanding (MoUs) – as Dhaka is ready to welcome Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Monday afternoon.

According to the foreign ministry, the six agreements that will be signed between Bangladesh and Qatar on Tuesday are related to the avoidance of double taxation and tax evasion; cooperation in legal affairs, mutual investment promotion and protection; transportation by sea; exchange of prisoners, and formation of joint business council.

The five MoUs will be signed in the areas of manpower sector cooperation, port management, higher education and scientific research, cooperation in the field of youth and sports, and cooperation in diplomatic training.

A high-level Qatari delegation headed by Qatar’s emir will pay the state visit to Bangladesh at the invitation of the president and the prime minister of Bangladesh.

He is scheduled to arrive on Monday afternoon by a special flight while President Mohammed Shahabuddin will receive the emir amid a gun salute and a wider ceremony at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka.

Apart from areas of cooperation on the bilateral front, global issues, including Palestine-Israel, will also be discussed where Bangladesh will highlight its position.

The government, in a gazette notification, has already declared the emir as a very important person during his two-day visit to Bangladesh.

Some of the Dhaka streets are seen decorated with the photos of Qatar emir, along with the Bangladesh president and the prime minister ahead of the visit.

As a token of friendship between the two countries, the process of naming a road in Dhaka after the emir of Qatar is underway.

The emir will inaugurate the park in the Kalshi area of Mirpur under the Dhaka North City Corporation and a road running from Mirpur ECB Chattar to Kalshi Flyover.

On Tuesday morning, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will receive the emir at her office.

They will have a tête-à-tête (one-to-one) meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office which will be followed by the bilateral meeting.

The two leaders will witness the signing of cooperation documents and join a joint press meet.

After signing the visitors' book there, the emir will head for Bangabhaban on Tuesday afternoon where the president will receive him. Mohammed Shahabuddin will host an official lunch in honour of the emir at Darbar Hall, Bangabhaban.

The emir will also have a private meeting with selected business community members at his place of residence.

He is scheduled to depart Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport by a special flight at 6pm on Tuesday.

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

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