Three investment deals expected to be signed

Deals on investment in the power sector and in Special Economic Zones are expected to be signed during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to Germany and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) starting today (Thursday).

The Prime Minister will leave for Germany to attend the 55th Munich Security Conference (MSC). From there she will travel to the UAE on February 17.

Global power giant Siemens has offered to make a big investment in Bangladesh's power sector and during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to Germany a deal might be signed in this regard, foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said on Wednesday while briefing the newsmen on Prime Minister's visit.

Separate meetings between the Prime Minister and the CEO of Siemens and the CEO of Veridos GmbH, a leading passport project operator of the world, might take place during her visit to Germany, the Foreign Minister, who will also accompany the Prime Minister, said.

The Prime Minister is also expected to hold a bilateral meeting with German Chancellor Angela Markel on the sidelines of the security conference, which will be attended by a good number of global leaders.

During the different sessions of the conference, Rohingya crisis and issues related to regional security will be widely discussed.

During her visit to the UAE, the Prime Minister is expected to meet the ruler of Dubai and Vice President of the UAE, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and the Crown Prince of Abudhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The foreign minister said during the PM's visit to the UAE, two separate MoUs on investment were expected to be signed with the private office of Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum.

The first one will be signed by the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) for undertaking projects on the development of an LNG Terminal and a power plant in Bangladesh.

The second one would be signed by Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) for setting up a Special Economic Zone in Matarbari, the minister mentioned.

The UAE is the second largest market for Bangladeshi workers and the PM's upcoming visit will help expanding this market so that more Bangladeshis would be able to be employed there.

The FM also mentioned that 50 thousand Bangladeshis, who became illegal workers due to various reasons, got the opportunity to be legalised under the amnesty declared by the UAE government during the August-December period last year.

The PM will also take part in the International Defence Exhibition 2019 in Abu Dhabi, on February 17. She is scheduled to return home on February 20.

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