Emir of Qatar to visit Dhaka today
Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani is set to visit Dhaka today.
Bangladeshi officials have reported trade and investment will be the primary point of discussion. This is the first Emir to visit Bangladesh in two decades.
Bangladesh and Qatar share a longstanding and mutually beneficial relationship of trade, and are both members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas will come up in the talks considering the current situation in the Middle East. Qatar has established itself as a moderator in the region, standing between Israel and Palestine to try and work out a ceasefire and hostage exchange. However, Qatar is considering ending its role as a mediator due to political concerns and Bangladesh will likely push Qatar to stay in the negotiating space. Qatar’s continued efforts to negotiate will also draw ire from the US Congress and Israeli officials, as both powers have accused Qatar of siding with Hamas, and the US has threatened to economically punish Qatar if they won’t work with Israel to pursue a ceasefire. Expect relations between Qatar, the USA, and Israel to deteriorate, as Qatar will likely attempt to distance themselves from the mediator role to prevent consequences.
