United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh and Kuwait on Sunday reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening diplomatic, trade and economic ties, with a focus on investment, energy, food security and migrant welfare. Newly appointed Ambassador of Kuwait to Bangladesh Ali Tunyan Abdul Wahab Hamadah met Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna and discussed ways to strengthen the ties. Welcoming the Ambassador, the Chief Adviser reaffirmed the strong historical ties between Bangladesh and Kuwait and encouraged greater collaboration in key sectors. “Kuwait and Bangladesh are long-standing friends. There are many investment opportunities here, and halal food can be a great sector to explore. The global market for halal food is huge. I encourage you to include young people in this initiative,” Prof Yunus said. The Chief Adviser invited Kuwaiti investors to explore opportunities in Bangladesh’s Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and the upcoming Bangladesh Investment Summit in Dhaka on 7-9 April. “Bring investors from Kuwait during the summit. It will be a big opportunity for both countries,” he said. India seeks friendly ties with Bangladesh: Rajnath Singh Ambassador Hamadah conveyed full support for Bangladesh’s Interim Government on behalf of Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmed Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and the people of Kuwait. "We are looking forward to working together," he said. Both sides discussed expanding crude oil imports from Kuwait to support Bangladesh’s growing energy demands. The Chief Adviser invited Kuwait to invest in a joint venture crude oil refinery in Bangladesh and urged the oil-rich Gulf nation to explore cooperation in renewable energy projects. The Chief Adviser stressed the importance of ensuring better working conditions for Bangladeshi workers in Kuwait, particularly female workers. He also acknowledged the strong defence collaboration between the two countries and praised the professionalism of Bangladeshi military personnel serving in Kuwait. They also reaffirmed their dedication to deepening economic and diplomatic ties.  “Our partnership is built on mutual respect and cooperation. We are committed to expanding collaboration in trade, energy, and beyond,” the Chief Adviser said.

Bangladesh and Kuwait on Tuesday discussed the employment and welfare issues of Bangladeshi migrant workers in Kuwait, with a particular focus on ensuring safe and secure working conditions for female workers. The two sides also exchanged discussions on various mechanisms to enhance safeguards for Bangladeshi expatriates in Kuwait, ensuring their rights and well-being. The issues were discussed when newly appointed Ambassador of the State of Kuwait to Bangladesh Ali Tunyan Abdul Wahab Hamadah paid a courtesy call on Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The meeting focused on strengthening bilateral relations and exploring new avenues of cooperation in trade, investment, employment and economic collaboration. The prospect of recruiting skilled workers and technicians also featured in the discussion with reference to the recent employment of 670 Bangladeshi nurses to Kuwait facilitated under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two countries last year. Both sides recognized this as an important step in deepening manpower employment cooperation and discussed further initiatives to expand employment opportunities for Bangladeshi professionals in Kuwait including medical practitioners, engineers, technicians, IT specialists etc. Cooperation on Rohingya, climate, migration issues to continue: Switzerland At the outset of the meeting, the Adviser congratulated the Ambassador upon assuming new assignment in Bangladesh. The Ambassador expressed thanks and gratitude for facilitating him in joining the new role as Ambassador. Recalling the strong bond and historic friendship between the two countries, he expressed Kuwait’s willingness to enhance cooperation in all existing sectors and highlighted the potential for increased bilateral trade and investment. In response, Foreign Adviser Hossain underlined the excellent understanding and engagement between Bangladesh and Kuwait.  He added that bilateral trade between the two fraternal countries does not match the existing potentials and the enormous goodwill and understanding. The Adviser encouraged the Ambassador to explore various business areas and engage with the big business communities of Bangladesh. Maintaining balanced relations extremely important for Bangladesh: Touhid Hossain The Adviser mentioned that the Ambassador could meet with the representatives of Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and industries (FBCCI) and other business leaders to explore potential business and trade opportunities here. The meeting concluded with both parties reaffirming their commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation in a structured and strategic manner, with a focus on trade, investment, workforce security, and overall economic partnership.