HE Speaker of the Parliament of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh Dr. Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury stressed that the visit of HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani to Bangladesh represents a milestone in the path of close relations between the two friendly countries, which extend to 50 years.
In her remarks to Qatar News Agency , Her Excellency said that the visit of HH the Amir will be a landmark in the path of strengthening the relationship between the two countries and it will step up the existing bilateral cooperation and open new areas, including parliamentary affairs.
Her Excellency added that Bangladesh and Qatar have been enjoying excellent bilateral relations since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1974. We are delighted that we are welcoming HH the Amir at a time when the two friendly countries are celebrating 50 years of diplomatic ties.
“As the bilateral relations between the two countries are based on mutual respect, shared values, common religious ground, shared culture and tra
dition, the parliament will boost these shared values; the upcoming visit of HH the Amir is expected to contribute towards further accelerating the pace of cooperation between the two legislatures as well,” Her Excellency said.
The Speaker of the Parliament of Bangladesh pointed out that the bilateral relations had remarkably progressed in recent years, thanks to exchanged bilateral visits, including HE Sheikh Hasina Wazed’s two visits to Doha in 2023, which gave a great impetus to the existing friendly relations, the growing numbers of Bangladeshi workforce in Qatar, convergent stances on regional and international issues, and close cooperation to promote global peace, stability and development.
“We are gradually advancing to increase bilateral trade and investments by identifying sectors where we have comparative advantage. We are encouraging private sectors, businessmen from both countries to increase their business contacts and thus explore areas whether they can do business or invest,” Her Excellency s
aid.
Her Excellency stressed the keenness of the Parliament of Bangladesh to develop and strengthen relations with the State of Qatar by enacting legislation and laws that facilitate communication and cooperation between the two countries. “The constitution of Bangladesh gives the parliament powers to enact laws. To elevate the bilateral relations between the two countries to a newer height and to strengthen people to people contact, Parliament may adopt laws which facilitate such achievements,” Her Excellency said.
Her Excellency emphasized that more interaction and exchanged visits between lawmakers of both countries will pave the way to a better understanding of the existing bilateral relations, adding that multi-level contacts between policy makers would bear positive impacts on boosting people-to-people relations.
Qatar and Bangladesh consider each other as friendly countries and important development partners in materializing their future visions; it’s high time that they can formulate a mechanism to
enhance the bilateral cooperation in the areas of parliamentary affairs, Her Excellency said.
She added that the two countries should aim at signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in this field to achieve tangible outcomes through activities such as thematic conferences and cooperation on topics and issues of interest to the Parliament of Bangladesh and Qatar’s Shura Council.
Her Excellency highlighted the importance of launching a joint committee for parliamentary affairs could be established to enhance appropriate coordination both at regional and international forums between the two institutions in light of both countries’ mutual interest in achieving global peace, transparency and development.
Her Excellency also indicated that the cooperation relations between the two countries have also witnessed progress in the fields of culture and sports, as well as in the field of energy and defense, stressing that Doha and Dhaka continue to cooperate in several areas at the level of multilateral relations.
H
E Dr. Chaudhury said that conducting regular seminars, conferences on areas of mutual interest and regular bilateral visits under a concrete framework will eventually create regular and trusted channels for new communications between the two countries.
Her Excellency pointed to the parliamentary cooperation between the two countries at the international level in light of their common vision of global issues. “Bangladesh believes in peaceful settlement of international disputes, supporting the right of people to self-determination, non-interference in the internal affairs of other states, and cooperation with peace-loving nations,” Her Excellency said, stressing the paramount role of the Parliament in those issues.
Her Excellency noted Bangladesh’s deep commitment to the UN charter and the principles of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in their common pursuit of peace, development, and justice in the world.
Her Excellency called for a just international position on the issues of Palestine and R
ohingya, stressing that Bangladesh and Qatar have convergent views on terrorism and militancy, climate change, disarmament and proliferation, gender parity and welfare of the Muslim nation.
HE Dr. Chaudhury congratulated Qatar for its nomination as Vice President of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA) for the period 2024-2025. She affirmed that with the strong leadership of Qatar, APA can play more effective role in international platforms, being the second largest parliamentary group in the world after the Inter-Parliamentary Union.
In this context, Her Excellency urged the APA to advocate the rule of law and judicial empowerment, harmonious development through democracy and shoulder its responsibilities in battling challenges facing Asia.
Her Excellency said that Bangladesh also believes that, under the leadership of Qatar, APA would concentrate its focus on addressing issues regarding climate change, corruption, and crimes against humanity in various regions in Asia, as is the case in Gaza, Myanmar,
and other volatile areas, as well as to continue working on promotion and protection of rights of migrant workers in Asia, poverty eradication, and green finance.
In a related context, Her Excellency noted that Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries to the impact of climate change and has been a forerunner in climate change adaptation and disaster risk preparedness. “The Parliament of Bangladesh had passed a motion declaring a “planetary emergency” and calling for quick action by the international community, including the United Nations, to tackle the effects of climate change,” Her Excellency said.
Concluding her remarks to QNA, HE the Speaker of the Parliament of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh stressed the role of the parliamentarians in facing the current political, economic, security, and climate global challenges, saying that she believes that the role of the parliamentarians is extremely crucial to ensure peace and stability in the world.
In that regard, Her Excellency urged parliame
nts across Asia to make a strong stand addressing the existing challenges unequivocally and should advocate for tangible action against climate change poverty, terrorism, international financial instability, political interference, drugs, and human trafficking among other challenges that are haunting the continent.
Source: Qatar News Agency