Bhutanese business delegation in city

A high-powered business delegation of Bhutan has arrived in the city on Thursday to enhance bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Bhutan through establishing regional connectivity, officials said. The eight-member business delegation, led by Bhutanese Department of Trade Director Sonam P Wangdi, will stay in Bangladesh until April 29. The Bhutanese delegation is scheduled to visit the Mongla Port, the Chittagong Port and the Export Processing Zone (EPZ). They will also visit the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC), the Cottage Industries Training and Design Institute (CITDI), and the Small and Medium Enterprise Foundation (SMEF) and its training institute. "The two countries have strong ties in different fields. Bilateral trade and people-to-people contact in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) region will augment further, if regional connectivity is established here," Ambassador of Bhutan Dasho Bap Kesang told the FE after a meeting with the shipping secretary on Thursday. The envoy said the Bhutanese delegation will study the facilities of using Bangladeshi ports along with road and air services for establishing regional connectivity among the SAARC member countries. He said two other high-powered delegations of the Bhutanese government will also arrive in Dhaka next month to explore the potentials of establishing regional connectivity between Dhaka and Thimphu through using seaports, landports and highways. One delegation, led by the Bhutanese commerce minister, and the other delegation, led by the Speaker of the Bhutanese parliament, will also discuss various issues, related with bilateral and regional cooperation. "We should be positive for establishing regional connectivity among Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and India for the benefit of the people," he said. "When regional connectivity will be established, then transportation of goods and services and people's interactions will be easier among the SAARC countries," Dasho Bap Kesang told the FE. Shipping secretary Md Abdul Mannan Howlader said Bhutan expressed deep interest for using the Bangladesh seaports and some major landports. "Bhutan is interested in establishing regional connectivity by using the seaports and Tamabil, Burimari and other landports," he said.