Bangladesh minister hails Qatar’s labour reforms

Bangladesh’s State Minister of Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam stressed the importance of the labour reforms carried out by Qatar, the most recent of which was the abolition of the exit permit for expatriate workers.

The minister said that the labour reforms carried out by Qatar are important as they take into account international standards and human rights.

In an interview with local Arabic newspaper, Alam praised the reforms which will benefit nearly 400,000 Bangladeshi workers in Qatar, affirming that the working environment in Qatar will witness more development and progress in the coming years.

The minister also hailed the distinct relations between Bangladesh and Qatar, and highlighted the support which has been provided by Qatar to the leadership in Bangladesh since its independence to contribute to the development and progress of the country.

Speaking about Qatar 2022 World Cup, the Bangladesh minister expected Qatar's tournament to be exceptionally successful and distinguished, noting his country's interest in the event which will be organised in a Gulf and Arab country for the first time, giving a great honour for the whole region.

He praised the "Qatar Creating Vision" initiative for examining and treating eye diseases in Bangladesh.

The minister called on Qatari businessmen and investors to increase their investments in Bangladesh, noting many investment opportunities in various fields, including textile and clothing, banking, agriculture, tourism, pharmaceuticals, energy and infrastructure.

He stressed Bangladesh's keenness on deepening and expanding trade relations and investment with Qatar, noting that his current visit to Doha focuses on the potential for promoting trade and investment, through the Bangladesh Forum Qatar (BFQ) which will significantly contribute to increased cooperation and investment.

The minister said that trade exchange between the two countries reached about $200mn, adding that Bangladesh has a lot of products that can be offered to the Qatari markets.

He highlighted the co-operation in the field of LNG, explaining that his country needs more energy especially natural gas which is of high demand in Bangladesh.

Commenting on the Gulf crisis, Alam said that the crisis can be resolved especially as it is between brothers, noting that the region cannot stand more conflicts.

Source: Gulf Times