Manpower export , trade, investment to dominate Bangladesh-Bahrain talks

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Manpower export, trade and investment will figure high at foreign minister-level talks between Bangladesh and Bahrain in the city today (Wednesday), reports UNB.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Gulf country Nezar Sadiq Al Baharna arrived in the city Tuesday evening for the talks with Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury.
Foreign Secretary-in-charge Touhid Hossain received the Bahrain minister at the airport.
A Foreign Ministry official told UNB that Dhaka would stress sending more workers to Manama and increasing trade between the two Muslim countries.
Presently, around 90,000 Bangladeshis are employed in the oil-rich Middle-Eastern country.
"We will focus on sending more workforce from here as well as increase the volume of trade," the official said.
Bangladesh's export to Bahrain fetches a paltry amount of around $ 4 million while import costs $ 3.5 million.
Due to non-availability of adequate air cargo, export of fresh vegetable from Bangladesh has been on the decline as Biman Bangladesh airlines had to suspend its flight operation (four flights a week) to Bahrain last year.
At the official talk, Bangladesh side will seek more cargo facilities in the Gulf Air so the export of fresh vegetables could be increased.