2024-04-23 06:04:18
Prime Minister’s Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman F Rahman said that Qatar is interested in signing a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Bangladesh.
Salman F Rahman MP said these things to the journalists after a meeting with the business delegation of Bangladesh and Qatar at a hotel in the capital on Monday (April 22) evening.
In the meeting, the delegation of Bangladesh was led by Salman F. Rahman and Qatar was led by the country’s Minister of Industry and Commerce Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Thani.
Salman F. Rahman said that the Qatari minister expressed interest when he proposed the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in the meeting. They say they have FTAs with many countries around the world, most recently with South Korea. The agreement with Pakistan is in the final stage. They have expressed their interest to do FTA with Bangladesh as well.
Salman F Rahman also said that they will talk to us about investing in commodity exchange and sukuk. It has also been decided to work for the development of the private sector of the two countries.
This adviser to the Prime Minister said that Qatar imports food products from many countries in the world. Bangladesh wants to export various food products including meat to the country. However, the Qatari delegation said that this import-export is entirely in the hands of the private sector. Therefore, the governments of the two countries will work for the development of business and trade in these areas by creating a favorable environment in this regard.
He said that the FBCCI president has expressed interest in visiting Qatar with a delegation to improve relations between the businessmen of the two countries. The president of the Chamber in Qatar welcomed the proposal. I think further follow-up on this issue will benefit both countries from a trade point of view.
Salman F. Rahman, in response to a question from journalists, said that Qatar has a big port but it is not being used in that way. So they know more about our port and expressed interest in creating a trading corridor with their port. This matter will be worked on in the future.
In addition to the Minister of State for Commerce and FBCCI President, several senior officials of the government were present in the meeting.