Kuwait City, Feb 8 (UNB) - The State of Kuwait, the fifth-richest country in the world for its vast petroleum resources, is eager to provide all-out support for different development projects of Bangladesh and expand the bilateral trade between the two Muslim countries.

Assurances in this regard came when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid separate calls on Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah and Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah here Monday on the second day of her three-day visit to the oil-rich Gulf country and had discussions with the two leaders on entire gamut of bilateral relations.

Currently, Kuwait provides Bangladesh financial assistance for 16 projects in communications and energy sectors, including construction of Sylhet-Tamabil Road. Five other projects are also being implemented with Kuwaiti assistance.

The Prime Minister spent a very busy time today as she held series of meetings with Kuwaiti government and business leaders, examining newer avenues of cooperation.

During the meetings, the two sides discussed matters of bilateral interest and expansion of trade and business for the benefit of the two peoples, officials from both sides said.

Some 2.5 lakh Bangladeshi workers are now employed in Kuwait, although currently employment of Bangladeshi workers here remained suspended due to different complications, including rules regarding change of jobs.

“Manpower export from Bangladesh, river dredging and Kuwaiti investment in Bangladesh’s development sector figured prominently during the meetings,” PM’s Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad told reporters after the talks.

On Kuwaiti investment in Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina urged the investors of the Middle-Eastern country to invest more in Bangladesh to cash in on her government’s lucrative investment policy and the country’s untapped potential in many sectors.

She said her government would provide all possible assistance for foreign investment in Bangladesh. The Prime Minister emphasized exchange of visits by businessmen of the two countries to pave the way for enhancing trade relations.

About manpower export, Hasina mentioned that her government is providing training to Bangladeshi workers on languages, customs, laws and technical know-how enabling them to work in different host countries.

Sheikh Hasina said Kuwait can import more Bangladeshi semi-skilled, skilled and technical people experienced in construction, power, water, civil aviation, petrochemical, gas and hospital works as they are gentle and law-abiding in nature.

Listing different pro-people programs undertaken by her government, Sheikh Hasina said that the government has provided subsidy on agricultural inputs, including fertilizer and diesel, to boost farm production.

She referred to her government’s mega capital dredging and maintenance programmes to restore the navigability of the country’s major rivers. She sought Kuwait’s support in this regard.

During the meetings, the Emir and the Prime Minister of Kuwait greeted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on her party’s landslide victory and on her election as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh through the last general election held in a free, fair and peaceful manner.

They expressed the hope that parliamentary democracy would be consolidated and have a firm footing under the able and prudent leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

About her role in dealing with climate-change issues, the Emir of Kuwait said Bangladesh has come in the forefront of world leadership to stand beside the Most Vulnerable Countries for the prudent leadership of Sheikh Hasina.

During the meetings, the Kuwaiti leaders mentioned the role of Father of the Nation and the greatest Bengali of all time Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and her vision towards building a poverty-and hunger-free prosperous Bangladesh.

Later, the Prime Minister paid a call on Speaker of Kuwait Parliament (Maslis-e-Ummah) Jassem Al Khorafi at the parliament building in the afternoon. They discussed matters of bilateral interest, including strengthening parliamentary democracy.

Sheikh Rehana, younger sister of the Prime Minister, Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Engr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni, State Minister for Forest and Environment Dr Hasan Mahmud, Ambassador-at-Large M Ziauddin, Bangladesh Ambassador in Kuwait Shahid Reza, Principal Secretary M A Karim, Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad and Deputy Press Secretary to the Prime Minister Mahbubul Haque Shakil were present on the occasions.

Earlier on her arrival at the Bayan Palace, Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah received Sheikh Hasina when a smartly turned-out contingent gave her state guard of honour.

Besides, two tiny tots presented Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina bouquets when National Anthems of the two countries were played. Later, the Kuwaiti Prime Minister introduced her cabinet colleagues and chiefs of three services standing on a presentation line to Sheikh Hasina.

The visiting Prime Minister also introduced members of her entourage to her Kuwaiti counterpart, and they held meeting afterwards.

Later, Sheikh Hasina went to Seif Palace where she held meeting with Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah.

Kuwait has a GDP (PPP) of US$138.6 billion and a per-capita income of US$60,800, making it the 5th-richest country in the world. With a GDP growth rate of 5.7 percent, Kuwait has one of the fastest-growing economies in the region.

According to the 2008 Index of Economic Freedom, Kuwait has the second-most free economy in the Middle-East, a dreamland for many for the region’s wealth, history and universal human heritage.

In March 2007, Kuwait's foreign-exchange reserves stood at US$213 billion.

The Gulf state has a proven crude oil reserves of 104 billion barrels (15 km³), estimated to be 10 percent of the world's reserves.

Kuwait's current oil production of 2.8 million bpd is expected to increase to 4 million bpd by 2020. To realize this production target, Kuwait Petroleum Corporation plans to spend US$51 billion between 2007 and 2012 to upgrade and expand the country's existing refineries.

Kuwait imports a wide range of products, ranging from food products and textiles to machinery.

Kuwait's most important trading partners are Japan, the United States, India, South Korea, Singapore, China, the European Union and Saudi Arabia.

Japan is the largest customer of Kuwaiti oil followed by India, Singapore and South Korea.