Dhaka road named after Qatar’s Sheikh Hamad

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has directed the authorities concerned to name a suitable road in Dhaka after former Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who died on July 12.

The Prime Minister said the initiative was taken to honour the late leader for his contributions to strengthening Bangladesh-Qatar relations and supporting Bangladesh’s development journey.

Tarique Rahman made the announcement while responding to a proposal moved by Leader of the Opposition Dr Shafiqur Rahman in Parliament seeking the naming of a road in the capital after the former Qatari Emir.

“I have already verbally instructed the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development to identify a suitable road through the Dhaka city corporations and name it after the late Emir,” he said.

The Prime Minister thanked the opposition leader for raising the proposal and said the decision reflected Bangladesh’s respect for Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and the people of Qatar.

Bangladesh observed a half-day state mourning on Wednesday following the death of the former Emir, with the national flag flown at half-mast.

Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad also travelled to Doha to convey Bangladesh’s condolences over the death of Sheikh Hamad.

Paying tribute to the former Qatari leader, Tarique Rahman said Qatar had played an important role in Bangladesh’s development journey.

“Qatar has supported Bangladesh in various ways in our development journey and continues to do so,” he said.

The Prime Minister highlighted Qatar’s contribution in creating employment opportunities for Bangladeshi workers, saying lakhs of Bangladeshis had found jobs there, contributing significantly to the country’s economy.

He also recalled Qatar’s support for Bangladeshi expatriates during regional tensions in the Middle East.
“Even when Qatar itself faced challenges during the tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, it looked after our expatriate workers like its own citizens and ensured their safety,” he said.

“In consideration of all these contributions, the government has declared state mourning for late Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and the national flag was kept at half-mast,” he added.

Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani died on July 12 at the age of 74.

He served as the Emir of Qatar from 1995 to 2013 and is widely recognised as one of the key figures behind Qatar’s transformation into a modern state.