Staff Reporter : Hon’ble Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus led Bangladesh delegation to a number of high level meetings with Qatari dignitaries including the Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister, Qatari Commerce Minister, President of Qatar Public Library and other dignitaries on 23rd April, 2025. In these productive meetings, the Bangladesh leader sought for deeper economic and cultural engagement with the State of Qatar, inviting Qatari businesses and investors to invest in key sectors; offering an exclusive economic zone in Bangladesh earmarked for the Qatari manufacturers including defence equipment plants.

During a high-level meeting and luncheon hosted by Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Dr. Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, the Chief Adviser expressed Bangladesh’s readiness to facilitate Qatari industrial and investment ventures through ensuring a streamlined and secured investment climate for win- win business development and investment opportunities in various sectors including infrastructure and logistics development.

He expressed gratitude for Qatar’s decision to recruit 725 Bangladeshi troops and urged for continuation of recruitment to strengthen the Qatari security forces.

Later, in the afternoon, Qatar’s Commerce Minister Sheikh Faisal bin Al Thani welcomed the Chief Adviser and his delegation at his office where they discussed the means and ways of ehnancing business, trade and investment collaboration between the two countries.

During the meeting, Chief Advisor highlighted opportunities in the country’s sea ports, management, transportation, logistics, banking, and hospitality sectors, emphasizing that recent economic reform initiatives have significantly improved the country’s business and investment climate. He impressed upon the government’s target to turn Bangladesh into a regional economic and manufacturing hub for the South and Southeast Asia and beyond.

In the afternoon, President of Qatar Public Library and Deputy Prime Minister Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al-Qawari hosted the Chief Adviser and his delegation members for a tea party, where they exchanged discussions on issues of mutual interests.

In the morning, the Chief Adviser chaired a high-level roundtable meeting on the Rohingya crisis. The high-level palenlists attended the Roundtable were Gambian Foreign Minister, Qatari dignitaries and Foreign Ministry officials, UN high offícials, Chairman of Nippon Foundation andr dignitaries from various international organizations. The Chief Advisor called for redoubling global efforts to put focus on the plight of the long-persecuted Myanmar Muslim community and find means and ways on the permanent and sustainable solution to the prolonged crisis.

Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, the CEO of the Qatar Foundation, spoke at the meeting expressing her organization’ s as well as Qatari Government’s willingness to support and expedite the Rohingya cause globally and also expressed her desire to visit Bangladesh soon.

During the high-level meetings, the Chief Adviser was accompanied by Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain, Energy Adviser Fouzul Kabir Khan, National Security Adviser Dr. Khalilur Rahman, BIDA Executive Chairman (HSM) Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud bin Harun, Senior Secretary and SDG coordinator Lamiya Morshed, Bangladesh Ambassador to Qatar Md. Nazrul Islam and Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam.