Dhaka: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday urged the Qatari government to recruit more workers from Bangladesh to meet the manpower demand of the Middle Eastern country on the occasion of the World Cup football to be held in Qatar in 2022, reports BSS.

The Prime Minister made the request when newly appointed Qatari Ambassador to Bangladesh Ahmed Bin Mohamed Al-Dehaimi paid a courtesy call on her at her office in Dhaka.

After the meeting, PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters.

In response to the request of the Premier regarding the recruitment of Bangladeshi workers, the ambassador said Bangladesh could contribute to Qatar’s development efforts by sending more workers.

‘We need more manpower for not only the World Cup Football, also achieve our Vision 2030 programme,’ the envoy said.

In this connection, Dehaimi said a delegation from Qatari labour ministry would visit Bangladesh in the next 10 days to discuss the issue of recruiting Bangladeshi manpower.

Putting emphasis on exploring bilateral cooperation in new areas, the Prime Minister said an LNG terminal is being set up at Moheshkhali in Cox’s Bazar.

‘The work of the terminal would be finished in the next two years and Bangladesh would import LNG from Qatar,’ she said.

Illustrating her government’s tremendous success in the socioeconomic field, Sheikh Hasina said: ‘Our main goal is to ensure welfare of the people and establish a hunger and poverty-free Bangladesh.’

Recalling her visits to Qatar, the Premier also laid stress on frequent exchange of high level visits between the two countries.

In this regard, she mentioned that the Bangladesh President already invited the Qatari Emir to visit Bangladesh. ‘I myself also invited the Qatari Prime Minister to visit Bangladesh,’ the PM said.

At the outset of the meeting, the Premier welcomed the new Qatari envoy in Bangladesh and expressed satisfaction over the existing excellent relations between the two countries based on common historic and religious ties.

Sheikh Hasina said 90 per cent people in Bangladesh are Muslims and Bangladesh always maintains very good relations with the Muslim countries like Qatar. ‘We want to further strengthen the ties,’ she noted.

Highly appreciating the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the new envoy hoped that Bangladesh would be able to achieve its Vision 2021 much earlier as the country is advancing in a more faster pace.

Expressing satisfaction over the existing bilateral ties between Bangladesh and Qatar, the ambassador said he wants to take the relations to a new height during his tenure.

In this connection, Dehaimi said Qatar attaches importance to its relations with the Islamic countries.

He also placed emphasis on cooperation in education sector between the two countries.

PM’s International Affairs Advisor Dr Gowher Rizvi and PMO Secretary Suraiya Begum were present on the occasion.