Bangladesh’s economic engagement with Qatar, an oil-rich country in the Middle East, has witnessed an upward trend in recent years. Both countries are celebrating their 50th years of diplomatic relations this year.
Qatar Ambassador in Dhaka Seraya Ali Al-Qahtani expressed this view at a reception at a city hotel on Tuesday for the National Day of Qatar and the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and Qatar.
Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Adviser Dr. Asif Nazrul was the chief guest on the occasion. Politicians, leading business leaders, members of civil society, diplomats, and journalists attended the reception.
Seraya Ali Al-Qahtani , in his speech, said, ” In the context of economic relations between Qatar and Bangladesh, it has reached a significant level. The trade volume between the two countries in the year 2023-2024 touched the milestone of 2.5 billion US dollars, where the value of exports from Qatar to Bangladesh amounted to more than 2 billion dollars, making it one of the leading exporters of various commodities, especially natural gas, to Bangladesh. The value of imports from Bangladesh to Qatar amounted to more than 31 million dollars.
He also said, ” Over more than 50 years of diplomatic relations between the State of Qatar and Bangladesh, the brotherly ties have deepened as both countries enjoy excellent and deep relations fostered by history and common culture, religion, and values.”
Since the establishment of manpower export to Qatar back in 1976, Bangladesh exported a total of 970,981 workers to the oil-rich country during 1976—2024 (until November 2024), according to the data of the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET)
He said that Qatar’s multilateral engagement with Bangladesh is very important as the high-rich Gulf country seeks to elevate Doha-Dhaka relations to a new height. Both countries are celebrating their 50th year of diplomatic relations this year, and he said that Bangladesh and Qatar have maintained exemplary bilateral relations since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1974.
He expected that the coming period would witness the revitalisation of tourism and the exchange of cultural delegations to enjoy the cultural treasures of the two countries on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of their establishment of diplomatic relations while achieving more cooperation at the trade and investment levels.
The manpower export to Qatar during the January-November period of the current calendar year stood at 68,530 (7.56 per cent of total manpower export )
Seraya Ali Al-Qahtani, in his speech, said,” It is my great pleasure to celebrate with you tonight the National Day of the State of Qatar, the dearest occasion to the Qatari people, commemorating the founding of Qatar as a unified State under the leadership of the Founder Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammad Al – Thani, on December 18, 1878.”
The Qatar diplomat said, ” The major achievements that the State of Qatar made in the political, diplomatic, economic, sport, health, education fields and others reflect the unity and solidarity between the wise leadership and the loyal people, and draw a bright picture of the future of the State of Qatar.”
The Qatar diplomat also said “Relations between the two countries reached their best, especially with the auspicious visit of Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar, to Bangladesh last April, which took the bilateral relations between the two countries to a new heights and strengthened cooperation in all areas of common interest, including political and diplomatic cooperation, trade, investment, energy, labour recruitment, civil aviation, tourism, defence, and others, in addition to signing several agreements and memoranda of understanding between the State of Qatar and Bangladesh, which had a great impact in promoting and strengthening the bonds between the two brotherly countries.”
About 400,000 members of the Bangladeshi community work in the State of Qatar at present, and they receive all the required comfort and care guaranteed by Qatari laws. These working hands contribute significantly to the economic and social development of the two brotherly countries.
He also said, “The State of Qatar is eager to support all efforts to promote cultural and civilised openness among the world’s nations. The State of Qatar pays great attention to developing its relations with countries and regional and international organisations, and actively contributes in promoting international peace and security through mediation to settle disputes by peaceful means, and supports development and stability projects in different countries. The mediations of the State of Qatar in Philistine, Ukraine, Sudan, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Chad and others have paved the way for building peace, stability and development in these countries and at the regional and international levels. The State of Qatar strongly believes that peaceful means are the best way to resolve conflicts and end wars.”