United News of Bangladesh

The interim government is making serious efforts to lift the UAE’s visa restrictions on Bangladeshi citizens in a bid to export more workers from the country, said CA’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam on Tuesday. “We want that the visa restrictions would go soon. If the visa restriction is lifted, we hope many Bangladeshis will get jobs there in the UAE,” he said at a press briefing in the Foreign Service Academy here. He said Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus raised the visa restriction issue during the talks with several UAE ministers during his recent visit to Dubai to attend the World Governments Summit. “There was serious discussion on this issue. This discussion will continue in future,” said Shafiqul Alam, adding that the visa restriction issue has turned into a cumulative problem since 2012. UAE urged to lift visa restrictions on Bangladeshi citizens, recruit more workers Noting that a comprehensive dialogue is being held with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), he said Bangladesh wants its relations with them to be upgraded further. “If so, we will be able to draw more investment from UAE. We want the visa restrictions to be lifted soon,” he added. He said Chief Adviser's special envoy on international affairs Lutfey Siddiqui has already been assigned with this task and Lutfey Siddiqui has also talked to four to five UAE ministers in this regard. Following the comprehensive discussion, the UAE is more serious about relations with Bangladesh. “We hope that the relationship with UAE that deteriorated to the lowest level (during the Awami League’s regime), will get better in the days ahead. “If so, the new door will be opened for Bangladesh to export a huge manpower to UAE,” said the press secretary. CA’s deputy press secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumdar was present at the briefing. UAE visas are currently closed for at least 9 countries, including Bangladesh.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has sought supply of LNG and investment from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in special economic zones, high tech parks and in establishing warehouses and hypermarkets in Bangladesh. UAE State Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ahmed bin Ali Al Sayegh met with Foreign Minister Momen on the sidelines of the IORA Ministerial meeting in Dhaka on Thursday and discussed bilateral issues of mutual interest. The State Minister of the UAE highly appreciated the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for ongoing socio-economic development of Bangladesh. He stressed on cooperation for enhancing trade and investment, air and shipping connection, agriculture, food security, energy, pharmaceuticals, IT, aforestation, alliance for mangrove forest, renewable energy and enhancing efficiency of energy systems. Read: First Bangladesh-UAE consular consultations held Momen thanked the State Minister for his visit to Bangladesh to attend the IORA meeting and expressed his satisfaction on the cooperation of the UAE and on the outcome of the IORA meeting. He also appreciated the tremendous development taken place in the UAE under the visionary leader of the UAE late President Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Dr Momen said the Bangladesh government is keen to establish direct shipping between Chattogram and Dubai for growth of bilateral trade. He highlighted the potential export of potatoes, mango, pineapple, pharmaceuticals and IT services to the UAE. Read: MoU on ‘e-visa’ inked between Bangladesh-UAE Momen requested for strong support of the UAE for repatriation of Rohingyas to Myanmar. The State Minister thanked the Foreign Minister for extending all possible hospitalities during their visit to Bangladesh.