BSS, Sangsad Bhaban :
Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmud Ali today said that the present government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has attached utmost importance to expand trade and economic relations with the Middle Eastern countries.
“We have undertaken various programmes for further expanding relations with the Middle Eastern countries for economic benefit of Bangladesh,” he said while replying to a tabled question of treasury bench member Nizam Uddin Hazari in the Jatiya Sangsad.
Under the programmes, the minister said trade related talks with the Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, UAE, Oman and Bahrain would be continued for increasing investment in Bangladesh’s infrastructure sector.
In this connection, he told the House that the countries have expressed willingness to invest in Bangladesh’s power, airport and oil refinery sectors. “We will take initiatives to implement the programmes following detailed discussions with those countries in future,” he added.
Apart from this, the minister said that steps would be taken to sign a number of bilateral agreements in trade and business related matters and visa procedure with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, UAE, Oman and Bahrain.
Giving details, he said at least five million Bangladeshi workers are working in the Middle Eastern countries at present. Among those, most of the workers were sent to those countries during the past tenure of the Awami League government.
Besides, nearly eight lakh Bangladeshi workers in Saudi Arabia have been benefited when the Saudi authorities declared general amnesty for the illegal workers and provided scopes to change “Ikama” (visa) from May 11, 2013 to November 3, 2013 following diplomatic efforts of the government.
The minister said the newly elected government has also taken diplomatic efforts to send more skilled and semi-skilled manpower to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, UAE and Bahrain.
He also informed the House that the country’s export to Turkey has already surpassed one billion dollars following the government’s relentless efforts in this regard.
“The government has taken especial measurers to further increase trade between the two countries and to this end we will hold talks with Turkey on free trade agreements,” he added.
