Investors in the UAE have formulated a number of new projects, including five free economic zones for investment in Bangladesh, which were discussed at the Bangladesh Economic Forum in Dubai today.

More than 300 government officials, business leaders, investors and businessmen participated in the forum aimed at boosting the flow of trade and investment between the two countries. His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Dalmouk as the official representative of the UAE government in the forum in addition to the adviser to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh and the Minister of Finance of Bangladesh .

Participants in the Bangladesh Economic Forum contributed to the formulation of a $ 10 billion investment map divided in Bangladesh's energy, ports and infrastructure sectors that will help boost the growth of the Bangladeshi economy, in addition to launching a high-tech city project, and in some areas, such as food industry, textile and leather industry. Natural, agricultural products, with development and investment in five special economic zones out of 100 developed by Bangladesh now.

Bangladesh and the UAE signed four memorandums of understanding on the construction of a port, industrial complex, supply and construction of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant, power plants and a special economic zone in Bangladesh during a three-day visit by Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to the UAE in February this year. She met with HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.

“These investments will strengthen the bilateral relationship between Bangladesh and the UAE and deepen our economic relations to a strategic partnership level. Last year the Bangladesh economy grew by 7.9% and we expect it to grow by 8.3% this year,” said Salman Fazalur Rahman, advisor to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh for private industries and foreign investment. Bangladesh will make it one of the fastest growing countries in the world, and we would like to be the biggest beneficiary of our brothers in the UAE from our growth in the coming years, as the Bangladesh Economic Forum aims to establish a stronger relationship between public policy makers, private investors and the business community. Which will help accelerate the economic growth of the GCC countries and Bangladesh, as well as to bring Bangladesh Economic Forum investors and entrepreneurs face-to-face to discuss disk investment and conclude business deals for mutual benefit. "

In turn, the Ambassador of Bangladesh to the UAE, Mohammed Omran said that the total non-oil trade exchange between the UAE and Bangladesh reached more than $ 1.6 billion in 2018, compared to about $ 1.3 million in 2017, while the value of UAE imports from Bangladesh amounted to about $ 580 million in 2018. Compared to US $ 500 million in 2017, non-oil exports from the UAE to Bangladesh amounted to US $ 544 million, while re-exports amounted to US $ 235.9 million.

`` The volume of remittances by Bangladeshis in Dubai amounted to about 1.35 billion dirhams from the beginning of this year so far compared to about one billion dirhams in 2018, where Bangladeshis are major investors in the UAE economy, where they own more than 50,000 commercial companies in addition to To more than 500,000 Bangladeshis working within the UAE. "