Bangladesh and Qatar have signed a landmark agreement that will see around 800 members of the Bangladesh Armed Forces deployed on deputation to the Qatar Armed Forces for an initial period of three years.
The agreement was inked in Doha today by Lieutenant General SM Kamrul Hassan, Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division of Bangladesh, and Lieutenant General (Pilot) Jassim bin Mohammed Al Mannai, Chief of Staff of the Qatar Armed Forces, according to a press release issued by the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing.
Officials described the accord as a significant outcome of Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus’s diplomatic engagement during his visit to Qatar from April 21–25 this year to attend the “Arthana” conference.
Under the agreement, Bangladeshi military personnel will serve in Qatar on a three-year deputation, with the possibility of extending the tenure to six years based on satisfactory performance. While about 800 personnel will be deployed initially, both sides see strong potential for increasing the number in the future.
The press release noted that the arrangement creates a new avenue for the deployment of skilled Bangladeshi military personnel abroad and is expected to strengthen bilateral defence cooperation.
The initiative is also projected to bring substantial financial benefits to the personnel involved, while enabling Bangladesh to earn significant foreign currency.
Bangladesh Ambassador to Qatar Mohammad Hazrat Ali Khan, members of the delegation, and officials from the Bangladesh Embassy in Doha were present at the signing ceremony.
