Dhaka: Bangladesh has invited Qatari investors to invest in Bangladesh saying the government is ready to offer one or more Special Economic Zones for Qatari investors exclusively which they can develop and operate as per their own desires and needs.

‘Qatari business leaders can take advantage of the most liberal investment policy of Bangladesh among the South Asian countries and the comparative advantage in terms of market access, trainable and competitive youth workforce and competitive wages,’ said State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam.

He invited them to invest in capital market, energy, telecommunications and IT, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, ship building, agro-processing, human resource development, water and marine and other infrastructure projects, hi-tech manufacturing and microprocessors in Bangladesh.

The State Minister was addressing a seminar on ‘Foreign Direct Investment Opportunities in Bangladesh’ at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Doha on Saturday as the chief guest.

Bangladesh Forum Qatar in cooperation with the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) organised the seminar, said a PID handout on Sunday.

The State Minister said Bangladesh already crossed the LDC threshold in March this year and is on the track to be a developed country by 2041.

He cited few examples of global thinktanks and research organisations which made very positive statements about the consistent economic progress of Bangladesh and her bright position in future in the global economy.

The State Minister told the Qatari business leaders that there are eight fully operational EPZs in Bangladesh and 100 Special Economic Zones are under process in different parts of the country.

He said Bangladesh Government is ready to offer one or more Special Economic Zones for Qatari investors exclusively which they can develop and operate as per their own desires and needs.

Bangladesh Ambassador to Qatar Ashud Ahmed highlighted that the growing Bangladeshi community in Qatar has been contributing not only to people to people contacts between two countries but also contributing to the development of trade and investment.

He said Bangladesh Embassy is always ready in patronising such an initiative. He expressed his optimism that such initiatives by the Bangladeshi community in Qatar would provide excellent platform for projecting Bangladesh’s investment potentials among the Qatari business leaders and investors and contribute to the strengthening bilateral relations of two brotherly countries.

Chief Executive Officer of the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) Yousuf Al Jaida commented that the seminar was an eye-opener for Qatari Business leaders and prospective investors who did not know much about Bangladesh, particularly what Bangladesh can offer for the Qatari investors.

He said the seminar is a way forward to making partnership with Bangladesh.

Head of Business of the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al Thani met the Bangladesh State Minister as well as the BIDA Executive Chairman in a separate meeting before the seminar.

QIA expressed its interest to send a business delegation to Bangladesh receiving formal invitation from Bangladesh and work with BIDA to find out new avenues for Qatari investment in Bangladesh.