Qatar keen on FTA with Bangladesh: Salman F Rahman

Prime Minister's Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman F Rahman MP has said Qatar is interested in signing a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Bangladesh.

He talked of Qatar’s interest in the FTA while speaking to journalists after a meeting between the business delegations of Bangladesh and Qatar at a hotel in the capital on Monday evening.

According to a press release issued on Tuesday, the Bangladesh delegation was led by Salman F Rahman while the Qatari team was led by Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Thani, the Arab country's Minister of Industry and Commerce.

Salman F Rahman said the Qatari minister expressed interest in the free trade agreement when the proposal was placed in the meeting.

"They have shown great interest in this proposal. They said they have an FTA with many countries of the world. Recently they signed an FTA with South Korea and are in the final stages of signing this deal with Pakistan,” he said.

Noting that the Qatari side also expressed their interest in discussion with Bangladesh on commodity exchange and Sukuk investment, the Prime Minister’s advisor said the meeting decided to work for the development of the private sector of the two countries.

He said Qatar imports food products from many countries and Bangladesh wants to export various food products, including meat to that country,

“The governments of the two countries will work for the development of business and trade in these areas by creating a favourable environment,” he added.

The release says Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) President Mahbubul Alam expressed interest in visiting Qatar with a delegation to improve relations between the businessmen of the two countries and the president of the Chamber in Qatar welcomed the proposal.

The meeting was attended also by State Minister for Commerce Ahsanul Islam Titu, FBCCI President and several senior government officials.