Raquib
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PM for reducing trade imbalance with Pakistan
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today stressed the urgency of removing Bangladeshs widening trade imbalance with Pakistan as she said there is huge potential lying untapped for enhancing the bilateral trade.
She made the suggestion when Pakistan High Commissioner in Dhaka Alamgir Bashar Khan Babar paid a courtesy call on her at the Prime Ministers Office this morning.
They also discussed various bilateral issues, including trade and investment and terrorism.
The premier stressed the need for joint efforts to root out terrorism to establish peace in the South Asian region.
Terrorism and the terrorists have no boundary and religion, she told the diplomat of Pakistan.
Hasina observed there is huge potential for enhancing bilateral trade between the two countries. Due importance should be given to rectify the widening trade imbalance.
The two-way trade in the recent years has been in the range of $300-$350 million, and Bangladeshs exports have hovered around $70 million only.
The prime minister emphasized general understanding on granting zero-tariff access to each other under the Early Harvest Programme to reduce the expanding trade gap.
She also expressed the hope that Pakistani businessmen would take interest in investing in Bangladesh in the sectors of pharmaceuticals, textiles, information technology, telecommunications and agro-based industries.
Hasina recalled her recent meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani at Sharm el-Sheikh in the wings of the 15th Nam Summit and stated that they had fruitful discussions on how to work together to improve the quality of peoples life through eradicating poverty from the region.
Hasina said regional cooperation would have to be institutionalized and collective strength of the South Asian countries be harnessed to face the challenges in the region.
The Pakistani high commissioner expressed interest in bilateral exchange of information on different sectors.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today stressed the urgency of removing Bangladeshs widening trade imbalance with Pakistan as she said there is huge potential lying untapped for enhancing the bilateral trade.
She made the suggestion when Pakistan High Commissioner in Dhaka Alamgir Bashar Khan Babar paid a courtesy call on her at the Prime Ministers Office this morning.
They also discussed various bilateral issues, including trade and investment and terrorism.
The premier stressed the need for joint efforts to root out terrorism to establish peace in the South Asian region.
Terrorism and the terrorists have no boundary and religion, she told the diplomat of Pakistan.
Hasina observed there is huge potential for enhancing bilateral trade between the two countries. Due importance should be given to rectify the widening trade imbalance.
The two-way trade in the recent years has been in the range of $300-$350 million, and Bangladeshs exports have hovered around $70 million only.
The prime minister emphasized general understanding on granting zero-tariff access to each other under the Early Harvest Programme to reduce the expanding trade gap.
She also expressed the hope that Pakistani businessmen would take interest in investing in Bangladesh in the sectors of pharmaceuticals, textiles, information technology, telecommunications and agro-based industries.
Hasina recalled her recent meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani at Sharm el-Sheikh in the wings of the 15th Nam Summit and stated that they had fruitful discussions on how to work together to improve the quality of peoples life through eradicating poverty from the region.
Hasina said regional cooperation would have to be institutionalized and collective strength of the South Asian countries be harnessed to face the challenges in the region.
The Pakistani high commissioner expressed interest in bilateral exchange of information on different sectors.
