UAE-India Business Surge, Bangladeshi Expat Triumph, and Cricket Season Heats Up in Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi's South Asian community had much to celebrate this week, as a landmark institutional agreement deepened UAE-India economic partnerships, a remarkable Bangladeshi entrepreneur's story captured the immigrant spirit, and the city's cricket stadiums buzzed with high-stakes international competition.
🏢 Abu Dhabi and India Sign Landmark Chamber Agreement
The Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI) and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) signed a cooperation agreement during the India–UAE Business Forum in Mumbai, formalising new institutional channels for trade, investment, and private-sector collaboration. The agreement leverages the momentum already created by the UAE–India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and comes as bilateral trade between the two countries reached $101.25 billion in FY 2025–2026, with a shared target of $200 billion by 2032. The forum drew 114 companies from both nations to explore joint ventures and investment opportunities. For Abu Dhabi's Indian business community, the growth figures are striking: active Indian companies registered with Abu Dhabi Chamber reached 21,085 as of August 2026, with 4,642 new Indian firms joining in 2025 alone — a year-on-year increase of 38.8 per cent and a compound annual growth rate of 44.6 per cent between 2020 and 2025. Dr Al Dhaheri, First Vice Chairman of ADCCI, called the deal a platform that creates practical channels bringing business communities closer together. For Abu Dhabi's one million-plus Indian residents, the agreement signals continued institutional support for the commerce and enterprise that has long defined the UAE capital's South Asian community. [5]
🤝 From Dh700 a Month to Entrepreneur: A Bangladeshi Story in Abu Dhabi
Mohammed Wahid's journey from a newly arrived electrician earning Dh700 a month to the founder of MAG Events Management is a story that resonates across Abu Dhabi's large Bangladeshi community. Wahid arrived having paid for his own visa, immediately facing financial pressure, cultural adjustment, and separation from family. Rather than viewing these hardships as limits, he treated them as a foundation. "I never saw it as a sacrifice. I saw it as a starting line," he told Gulf News. He spent his first decade in the capital building expertise as an employee — progressing from electrician to department in-charge — learning the demands of the workplace, earning trust, and saving carefully while living simply. "The early days were tough. My salary was very low, so every dirham counted. I was far from my family, I missed home, and I had to adapt to a new language, a new culture, and a demanding work environment," he recalled. Friendships with colleagues from different nationalities helped him adjust and broadened his perspective: "Those friendships taught me that people everywhere share the same hopes. Every hard day became part of the foundation I stand on now." His experience mirrors that of hundreds of thousands of South Asian workers across Abu Dhabi who have transformed modest beginnings into stable, successful lives in the UAE capital through discipline, learning, and resilience. [6]
🎬 Bangladesh vs Afghanistan Test Match Draws South Asian Eyes to Sheikh Zayed Stadium
Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium became the centre of South Asian sporting attention on 9 October as Bangladesh and Afghanistan faced off in a much-anticipated one-off Test match. Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto won the toss and elected to bat on what he described as a dry, hot pitch, predicting the second innings would be more challenging. His openers responded emphatically: Tanzid Hosain Tamim blazed a 71-ball 83 to set a dominant tone, guiding Bangladesh to an impressive 134–1 at the lunch break on Day 1. The Test follows a mixed preparatory sequence for Bangladesh — winning in Darwin before being bowled out for just 64 in Mackay — but Tanzid's batting at Abu Dhabi suggests the team arrived in form. Adding further excitement to the cricket calendar, the International League T20 is also scheduled to bring the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders against MI Emirates in a marquee fixture at the same venue. Abu Dhabi's enormous South Asian population — drawn from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka — makes it one of the world's most enthusiastic cricket-watching communities, and these home fixtures provide fans the rare opportunity to watch elite players up close. For the city's Bangladeshi community in particular, the Test gives them reason to gather, cheer, and feel the pride of watching their national team perform on UAE soil. [3]
Sources: [5] IndexBox · [6] Gulf News · [3] Prothom Alo English