Dhaka-Yangon talks begin tomorrow
Sunday, 22 July 2007
Direct road link, border trade, repatriation of Rohingya refugees, maritime boundary, contract farming and easing of visa regime are likely to figure prominently during the Foreign Ministry consultations between Bangladesh and Myanmar in the city Monday-Tuesday, reports UNB.
Myanmar Deputy Foreign Minister U Kyaw Thu arrives here today (Sunday) to lead his country's 4-member delegation to the consultations.
Officials here consider the consultations significant to resolve various bilateral issues and advance the interests of Dhaka and Yangon. Particularly, it takes place after Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury's official visit to Myanmar in last April when he had comprehensive talks on the issues with the Yangon leadership.
During the Foreign Adviser's last visit, a MoU was signed to connect Bangladesh and Myanmar through a 'friendship bridge'. Bangladesh agreed to finance 23-km road from Taungboro to Bawlibazar inside Myanmar and the remaining 120 kms from Bawlibazar to Kyautaw to be built by the Myanmar authorities.
The upcoming consultations will focus on the construction of the proposed road link aimed at boosting trade and tourism.
Besides, Dhaka is likely to emphasise on repatriation of the remaining more than 21,000 Rohingya refugees to their homeland. The authorities in Myanmar has already cleared around 8,000 refugees.
On bilateral trade that is tilted towards Yangon, Bangladesh would like to see Myanmar import more products like pharmaceuticals from here to reduce the trade gap.
In 2005-06, Bangladesh exports to Myanmar stood at US$ 5.19 million against its import bill of $29.53 million.
Dhaka may also take up its proposal to lease Myanmar land for agriculture production to meet the growing demand in Bangladesh. The proposal was put on the table during the Foreign Adviser's April visit to Myanmar when the Bangladesh side offered $8 to $25 to lease the land where paddy, onion, soybean, maize, tea and sugarcane could be produced. A vast area of land can also be used for livestock farming.
Other bilateral issues like demarcation of maritime boundary, border security, etc. may also come up during the consultations between the two neighbours.
Myanmar Deputy Foreign Minister U Kyaw Thu arrives here today (Sunday) to lead his country's 4-member delegation to the consultations.
Officials here consider the consultations significant to resolve various bilateral issues and advance the interests of Dhaka and Yangon. Particularly, it takes place after Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury's official visit to Myanmar in last April when he had comprehensive talks on the issues with the Yangon leadership.
During the Foreign Adviser's last visit, a MoU was signed to connect Bangladesh and Myanmar through a 'friendship bridge'. Bangladesh agreed to finance 23-km road from Taungboro to Bawlibazar inside Myanmar and the remaining 120 kms from Bawlibazar to Kyautaw to be built by the Myanmar authorities.
The upcoming consultations will focus on the construction of the proposed road link aimed at boosting trade and tourism.
Besides, Dhaka is likely to emphasise on repatriation of the remaining more than 21,000 Rohingya refugees to their homeland. The authorities in Myanmar has already cleared around 8,000 refugees.
On bilateral trade that is tilted towards Yangon, Bangladesh would like to see Myanmar import more products like pharmaceuticals from here to reduce the trade gap.
In 2005-06, Bangladesh exports to Myanmar stood at US$ 5.19 million against its import bill of $29.53 million.
Dhaka may also take up its proposal to lease Myanmar land for agriculture production to meet the growing demand in Bangladesh. The proposal was put on the table during the Foreign Adviser's April visit to Myanmar when the Bangladesh side offered $8 to $25 to lease the land where paddy, onion, soybean, maize, tea and sugarcane could be produced. A vast area of land can also be used for livestock farming.
Other bilateral issues like demarcation of maritime boundary, border security, etc. may also come up during the consultations between the two neighbours.