Delhi for common S Asian market

India is emphasising creating a common South Asian market to further bolster regional trade relation among the countries, Indian Commerce Secretary Rajeev Kher said on Monday.
"Recently India has prepared its five-year foreign trade policy for 2015-2020. There we have given importance to our trade relation in South Asia. I strongly believe that good trade relation with neighbours, both in the bilateral sense and also in the sense of creating a common South Asian market in future, is extremely important."
The Indian secretary told reporters after he called on Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed at the ministry.   
Rajeev Kher said, "We discussed bilateral trade issues as well as the ways Bangladesh and India can play together a greater role in the global trade arena."
The discussed issues included renewal of trade agreement between the two countries, trade liberalisation on both sides, and further facilitating market access of items to both countries etc, he added.
After the meeting Tofail Ahmed said, "India has sought duty benefits for exporting its 225 products to Bangladesh under the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA). But we have agreed to provide the facility to 23 items."
Replying to a question, the commerce minister said prices of the essential items during the upcoming month of Ramadan will not rise since the government has taken necessary preparations in this regard like the previous year.   
Replying to another question he heavily criticised the Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) following its different reports on the government. He said organisations like TIB see the negative sides only, but does not see Land Boundary Agreement and other positive achievements.
On the other hand, he praised activities of some organisations, like - the Policy Research Institute of Bangladesh (PRI).
If the city corporation elections were not held in a free and fair manner, how some Jammat councillors won in the polls, the commerce minister asked.   
Later, a view-exchange meeting was held between the commerce minister and Lithuania's non-resident ambassador in Dhaka at the ministry.
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