Dhaka offers to import rice from Myanmar, ease visa regime
Thursday, 14 February 2008
Bangladesh has made a package of proposals to Myanmar including import of 300,000 tonnes of rice, buying gas, delimiting maritime boundary, repatriation of Rohingya refugees and easing the visa regime during a bilateral consultation in Yangon, reports UNB.
The 3rd Foreign Office Consultation between Bangladesh and Myanmar took place in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, Tuesday. Foreign Secretary M Touhid Hossain led the Bangladesh side while Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Kyaw Thu headed the Myanmar side at the meeting.
A release from the Bangladesh Embassy in Yangon said the two sides discussed all bilateral issues including Rohingya refugee repatriation, direct road link project, border management, trade and investment, border trade, contract farming, import of rice, gas and hydroelectric power, and the issue relating to maritime boundary delimitation between the two countries.
The meeting was told that rice from the Rakhine state was being exported to Bangladesh and facilitating of non-conventional coastal shipping would boost such exports.
The two sides agreed to remove barriers to trade by improving banking arrangement, allowing businessmen to travel more freely to Sittwe for up to two weeks and to increase the validity of border passes from three to seven days on recommendation from chambers of commerce.
One-year continuous stay for businessmen in Myanmar would also be considered.
The 3rd Foreign Office Consultation between Bangladesh and Myanmar took place in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, Tuesday. Foreign Secretary M Touhid Hossain led the Bangladesh side while Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Kyaw Thu headed the Myanmar side at the meeting.
A release from the Bangladesh Embassy in Yangon said the two sides discussed all bilateral issues including Rohingya refugee repatriation, direct road link project, border management, trade and investment, border trade, contract farming, import of rice, gas and hydroelectric power, and the issue relating to maritime boundary delimitation between the two countries.
The meeting was told that rice from the Rakhine state was being exported to Bangladesh and facilitating of non-conventional coastal shipping would boost such exports.
The two sides agreed to remove barriers to trade by improving banking arrangement, allowing businessmen to travel more freely to Sittwe for up to two weeks and to increase the validity of border passes from three to seven days on recommendation from chambers of commerce.
One-year continuous stay for businessmen in Myanmar would also be considered.