Qatar has shown interest in getting involved in the port management of the region by building a trading corridor with Bangladeshs seaport.
A visiting team of the oil-rich Middle-Eastern country met a Bangladeshi delegation led by the Prime Minister Advisor on Private Industry and Investment Salman F Rahman in Dhaka during Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thanis Bangladesh tour on Monday.
At the meeting with the Qatari delegation at a Dhaka hotel, State Minister for Commerce Ahasanul Islam Titu and FBCCI President Mahbubul Alam were also present.
After the meeting, Salman said, "There was a discussion about finding ways to increase trade between the two countries. Today, we talked about trade and commerce, investment and business."
"They are thinking about getting a trading corridor in Bangladesh. They said, We want to see your port. We will check the feasibility of creating a trading corridor here.," Salman said.
"They have already prepared a big port in Qatar. There is also an economic zone surrounding the port. That port is still underutilised."
Citing the statement of the Qatari delegation, Salman said, "The total turnover in the port of Singapore is four to five times more than that of the countries of the GCC or the Arabian Delta region. Then we have to see the possibility of bringing some trading in this direction by making a connectivity between the port of Bangladesh and the port of Qatar.
This is how plans between Bangladesh and Qatar on maritime trade are moving towards implementation."
Chattogram Port is the main sea port of Bangladesh. As the ports depth is within 10 metres, deep sea mother vessels requiring a depth of 14 to 16 metres cannot dock here.
So, Bangladesh is planning to build a deep seaport by creating an artificial channel with a depth of 18 metres at Maheshkhali in Coxs Bazar to increase the benefits of international maritime trade.
The cabinet also approved a proposal to form the Maheshkhali Integrated Development Authority or MIDA as part of setting up an authority to create a commercial hub in Maheshkhali.
The government has said the Qatari emirs visit to the country is an investment opportunity. —bdnews24.com
