PM's India visit 'paves way for regional connectivity'

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FE Report
Bangladesh wants regional connectivity with India, Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar and the recent visit of prime minister Sheikh Hasina to New Delhi will pave the way to materialise it, said foreign secretary Mohammed Mijarul Quayes Sunday.
The 50-point joint communiqué released during the visit of the prime minister covered a wide range of issues including electricity, water and trade.
"Agreements related to energy, home and culture ministries were signed and many other issues were discussed during the visit," he said at the monthly luncheon meeting of the Foreign Investors' Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) at a city hotel.
The two governments are engaged in linkage talks and Bangladesh wants to have connectivity with Nepal and Bhutan also, he added.
"Both governments are convinced that there is a need to hold hands to go forward," Mr Quayes said.
An interconnectivity grid needs to be set up to import power from India and the government is planning to invest in Myanmar to import power from Arakan, he added.
The Indian government has agreed to sell 250 megawatt power to Bangladesh in the just concluded visit of Sheikh Hasina.
The Bangladesh government has attached priority to water sharing and very soon there will be series of meetings on Teesta water sharing, the secretary said.
"Both the countries will hold technical and secretary level meeting within a month and joint river commission within a very short time," he said.
India will cooperate with Bangladesh in capital dredging and other infrastructure related areas to improve rail and road network in the country, he added.
The Bangladesh government has made it clear to the Indian government that it wants to remove all tariff and non-tariff barriers and there are some development in this regard, the secretary said.
"India has reduced the negative list by 47 products and there is a development of acceptance and harmonisation of certificates required at the time of trade," he said.
The government is maintaining bilateral negotiation with its neighbours to resolve the maritime dispute but at the same time it pursues settlement through UN, he added.
Bangladesh has maritime boundary dispute with India and Myanmar and lodged a petition with the UN to delineate the boundary.
"If bilateral negotiations are successful then we will call off the UN petition, otherwise we have to wait for UN decision," Mr Quayes said.
FICCI president AM Hamim Rahmatullah said foreign policy of Bangladesh in relation to business and industry needs to be more investor-friendly.
Bangladesh needs more foreign investment and remove barriers to attract FDI, he said.
"Shortage of energy, tax evasion and unethical business practice are the major problems in attracting FDI," he added.
Bangladesh embassies in different countries have a role to promote FDI and the government should pay more attention in this regard, Mr Hamim said.
A large number of businesspeople and diplomats of different countries attended the programme.