A high-level delegation from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), led by Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister for Tolerance and Coexistence, paid a courtesy call on the Chief Advisor of Bangladesh,Professor Muhammad Yunus, in Dhaka today.

The visiting delegation included Ahmed Bin Ali Al Sayegh, Minister of State at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Mohammed Abdul Rahman Al Hawi, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Investment; Abdullah Ali AlHmoudi, UAE Ambassador to Bangladesh; alongside senior officials and prominent Emirati business leaders.

The delegation arrived in Dhaka this afternoon on a special flight.

From the Bangladesh side, Lutfey Siddiqi, Special Envoy on International Affairs to the Chief Advisor (with the rank of Adviser); Tareq Ahmed, Ambassador of Bangladesh to the UAE; senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and members of the Chief Advisor’s Office were present at the meeting.

During the discussion, both sides exchanged views on key areas of mutual interest. Chief Advisor Professor Yunus emphasized expanding cooperation in the manpower sector, underscoring the potential for reopening all categories of UAE visas for Bangladeshi workers and entrepreneurs.

He urged the UAE delegation to explore investment opportunities in Bangladesh, especially in sectors such as Halal food processing, agriculture, defense, shipbuilding, and within the country’s Economic Zones (EEZs).

The Chief Advisor also called for enhanced energy cooperation—including partnerships in renewable energy—which he described as a strategic pillar of the bilateral relationship.

Lutfey Siddiqi proposed launching negotiations toward a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two nations and highlighted the need for expediting the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) to strengthen trade ties.

In response, Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation, particularly in light of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

He emphasized the importance of high-level exchanges and extended, on behalf of the UAE President, an invitation to Chief Advisor Yunus to visit the UAE.

The meeting concluded on a positive note, with both sides expressing a shared commitment to further solidifying the longstanding and brotherly relationship between Bangladesh and the UAE.

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