Pak, Bangla foreign secys meet Aug 29

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FE Report
The 4th foreign secretary level consultation meeting of Bangladesh and Pakistan will be held on August 29-30 in Dhaka to discuss entire gamut of bilateral relations.
Official sources said the two sides will discuss on how to boost bilateral trade and enhance economic cooperation between two countries.
They said the talks will cover the issues relating to signing of a bilateral deal on 'Free Trade Agreement (FTA)' and resuming direct shipping link between Chittagong and Karachi seaports.
"We expect the two aspects will dominate the meeting as the issues deal with our common interest," said a high official of the ministry of foreign affairs.
He said the bilateral FTA will allow increased access of Bangladeshi goods into Pakistan market and help reduce trade imbalance.
"For this reason, the direct shipping link between the two ports should be established as soon as possible for boosting bilateral trade," he said.
Bilateral trade can be increased to $1.0 billion by the next year, he added.
According to official statistics, in fiscal 2005-06 Bangladesh's imports from Pakistan were worth US$150.16 million against US$57.49 million export to that country. In 2004-05 Bangladesh's imports was worth US$138 million while exports to Pakistan was only US$ 63 million.
However, the MoFA sources said three common outstanding issues will also be discussed during the meeting.
The issues are division of assets of united Pakistan worth $4.32 billion, and repatriation of stranded Pakistanis (Biharis) and an unconditional apology from Pakistan for atrocities committed by its army in 1971, they said.
According to a 1992 census, sources said, there are 238,400 stranded Pakistanis living in 66 camps of 13 districts in Bangladesh.