Bangladesh, UAE sign four MoUs

Bangladesh and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Sunday signed four memorandums of understanding (MoUs) to promote relations between the two countries in the areas of investment, business and power sector.

The instruments were inked after a meeting between Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and a 15-member UAE business delegation led by Minister for Economic Affairs Sultan al Monsuri.

“The MoUs gave focus on development of port, dry port and energy, creating new door in the areas of investment and business, which we never seen before,” Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque said while briefing reporters after the meeting at Hotel St. Regis.

PM’s press secretary Ihsanul Karim and Bangladesh ambassador to UAE Mohammad Imran were present at the briefing.

The first MoU was signed between the Government of Dubai and the Public Private Partnership Authorities of Bangladesh for construction port, dry port and industrial park. Chairman of DP World Sultan Ahmad bin Sulayem and Secretary of the Shipping Ministry Abdus Samad inked the instrument.

The second MoU was penned between Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC) and Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources of Bangladesh for long time supply of LNG to Bangladesh and developing a land-based LNG receiving terminal.

State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid and Group CEO of ENOC Saifd Al Falasi signed the MoU under which the LNG receiving terminal would be constructed in Payra on 300 acres of land and supply of LNG to provide required natural gas delivery to support power and other industries in Bangladesh.

The third MoU was inked between Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) and Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum Member of Ruling Family of Dubai on investment in the power and energy sector of Bangladesh.

Chairmen of BPDB Khaled Mahmood signed the MoU from Bangladesh, under which an integrated 800 MW-1000 MW LNG power plant would be constructed in two phases along with implementing a 100 MW solar power project.

The fourth MoU was inked between Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) and Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum Member of the Ruling Family of Dubai to set up a special economic zone in Matarbari with an aim to promote FDI and enhance bilateral economic relations between the two countries.

Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Office Md. Nojibur Rahman signed the MoU for BIDA, the foreign secretary said, adding that UAE Ruling Family wanted 300 acres of land to set up a company for investment.