Easy business visas to boost economic cooperation in BIMSTEC
Wednesday, 28 November 2007
The third expert-group meeting on BIMSTEC business visa scheme began Tuesday in the city to make modalities of issuing easy visas for the qualified businessmen of member countries under a move towards boosting economic cooperation in the realm of the sub-regional bloc, reports UNB.
Home Secretary Md Abdul Karim inaugurated the expert-group meeting as the chief guest at the BRAC Inn in the capital.
The home secretary said the group would make significant progress on the ongoing negotiation on the BIMSTEC visa scheme. "I strongly believe that the group will be able to reach a consensus to set up a practical modality to the visa scheme."
Emphasising mutual cooperation among the countries, particularly in economic and commercial fields, he said experiences show that progress and prosperity of one-and-a-half-billion people, who represent nearly one-fifth of humanity, could be better achieved by sharing experiences, pooling resources and coordinating efforts.
Abdul Karim said the BIMSTEC should foster people-to-people contact with a view to establishing a greater sense of community among the nations. "Interactions among our people at various levels would also give strength to BIMSTEC formal process of cooperation."
Former BIMSTEC chairman and representative of Nepal Sudhir Kumar Shah handed over the chairmanship to Mujibur Rahman, joint secretary to Home Ministry, after he was selected chairperson in the meeting.
Representatives from host Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Myanmar attended the day-long meeting.
On June 6, 1997, the sub-regional grouping was formed in Bangkok and given the name BISTEC (Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand Economic Cooperation). Myanmar joined the organisation as a full member at a special ministerial meeting held in Bangkok on December 22, 1997. The name of the grouping was then changed to BIMSTEC.
Home Secretary Md Abdul Karim inaugurated the expert-group meeting as the chief guest at the BRAC Inn in the capital.
The home secretary said the group would make significant progress on the ongoing negotiation on the BIMSTEC visa scheme. "I strongly believe that the group will be able to reach a consensus to set up a practical modality to the visa scheme."
Emphasising mutual cooperation among the countries, particularly in economic and commercial fields, he said experiences show that progress and prosperity of one-and-a-half-billion people, who represent nearly one-fifth of humanity, could be better achieved by sharing experiences, pooling resources and coordinating efforts.
Abdul Karim said the BIMSTEC should foster people-to-people contact with a view to establishing a greater sense of community among the nations. "Interactions among our people at various levels would also give strength to BIMSTEC formal process of cooperation."
Former BIMSTEC chairman and representative of Nepal Sudhir Kumar Shah handed over the chairmanship to Mujibur Rahman, joint secretary to Home Ministry, after he was selected chairperson in the meeting.
Representatives from host Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Myanmar attended the day-long meeting.
On June 6, 1997, the sub-regional grouping was formed in Bangkok and given the name BISTEC (Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand Economic Cooperation). Myanmar joined the organisation as a full member at a special ministerial meeting held in Bangkok on December 22, 1997. The name of the grouping was then changed to BIMSTEC.