Bangladesh has sought assistance from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for setting up another crude oil refinery to meet the country's growing demand for oil.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Hasan Mahmud sought the cooperation when UAE Ambassador Khalfan Battal Ali Al Monsouri met him at his office in Dhaka Wednesday.

The state minister informed the envoy that Bangladesh imports huge amounts of unrefined petroleum from the UAE as Bangladesh's sole oil refinery in Chittagong could meet only 30 percent of the total demand.

So another refinery is needed to be built in Bangladesh and the UAE can help us in this regard, he said.

He also sought UAE investment for the development of Bangladesh's tourism sector in Coxs Bazar and other prospective spots.

Talking to journalists after the meeting, the state minister said some 7 lakh Bangladeshi workers are working in the UAE and it is the second largest labour market for Bangladesh when it comes to the amount of remittance.

Bangladesh gets over US$ 1 billion from the Gulf state while it invested US$2.5 billion locally.

In reply to a question Hasan Mahmud said, "There is no reason for our labor market to shrink in the UAE. Instead, it would expand day by day. Employment opportunities for 50,000 workers have been created there in January and February. And the quantum of our remittance is increasing. In March, Bangladesh gets the highest amount of remittance in the last two years."


(C) 2009 Asia Pulse Pte Ltd.