The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has expressed a great interest in investing in Chittagong Port, underlining the possibility of mutual financial benefits for both countries. The UAE Ambassador to Bangladesh, Abdullah Ali Al Hamoudi, expressed this desire at a meeting with Brigadier General (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain, the Adviser for Textiles, Jute, and Shipping, at the Secretariat on Sunday.
Ambassador Al Hamoudi expressed the UAE’s opinion that investments in Bangladesh, particularly at Chittagong port, will benefit both countries. He said that DP World, a Dubai-based multinational logistics organisation, is now managing seaports in over 60 countries, with extensive expertise on large projects such as the London Gateway Port and operations in Indian, Pakistani, and Sri Lankan ports.
Adviser Sakhawat welcomed the UAE’s investment proposal and emphasised Bangladesh’s commitment to encouraging foreign investment, which he characterised as a critical component of the country’s multifaceted relationship with the UAE, spanning a variety of sectors like as trade and commerce.
During the discussion, the adviser asked the UAE ambassador to make it simpler for Bangladeshi sailors to obtain transit visas. The ambassador told him that he would treat this situation seriously.
Furthermore, Sakhawat urged the UAE envoy to look into investment prospects in Bangladesh’s jute and textile industries, citing rising global demand for ecologically friendly jute goods. He emphasised the growing trend of international investment in these industries and urged the UAE to consider them as profitable investment opportunities.
Several important officials, including Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Shipping Sanjoy Kumar Banik and Secretary of Jute and Textiles M Abdur Rauf, attended the meeting, which featured a five-member team from the United Arab Emirates.
