UAE cos to invest in Paira Bandar, Marine Drive project

Representatives of two leading UAE companies who are eager to invest in the country's third seaport -- Paira Bandar -- and Mirsarai-Teknaf, Cox's Bazar marine drive project will visit Bangladesh early next year. During the visit, they will discuss various issues relating to their investment.
Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali said this while updating newsmen on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in October this year in the city on Monday, reports UNB.
He said DP World Chairman Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during the visit.
The Prime Minister urged the DP World chief to invest in the seaport in southern region and in constructing the 285-long marine drive from Mirsarai (Chittagong)-Teknaf.
Later, the government sent those two proposals to the UAE government for consideration.
"We're now in discussion with the DP World and another company, Mubadala, for Paira Bandar and Marine Drive projects," said Mahmood Ali, adding that representatives of the two companies are expected to visit Bangladesh early next year.
The DP World has a portfolio of more than 65 marine terminals across six continents, including new developments underway in India, Africa, Europe and the Middle East.
Mubadala is an investment and development company supporting the diversification of the UAE by investing in key social infrastructure and creating globally integrated industry sectors in Abu Dhabi.
Focused on investment and development across multiple sectors, Mubadala's portfolio is valued at US$60.8 billion.
The foreign minister also said complexities related to transit visa for Bangladeshi seamen who need to land in ports of the UAE including the Dubai seaport will be removed.
Many international shipping companies recruit Bangladeshi seamen and ask them to join and board the ship from Dubai port when the ship is docked at Dubai port for few days, according to the Foreign Ministry officials.
But as the UAE is not issuing visa for the Bangladesh nationals, the sailors cannot come to Dubai to join the ship. The job is then offered to other nationals.
The foreign minister had taken up the matter with his UAE counterpart at a meeting on the sidelines of an anti-piracy conference, held in Dubai on October 28-29. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also drew attention of the UAE authority regarding the matter.
 "The UAE government is now looking into the matter, and we hope that these complexities will be removed soon easing the entire process," said the foreign minister.