MoU on drug export with Sri Lanka in June

A MoU on exporting drugs to Sri Lanka is expected to be signed next month. Foreign Minister Abul Hasan Mahmood Ali has hoped that Dhaka and Colombo would put pen to paper during the upcoming visit of the Sri Lankan health minister. Lankan Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena is expected in Dhaka next month. Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali has said that the text of the MoU for exporting pharmaceutical products and surgical equipment had been finalised. The foreign minister was meeting the outgoing Sri Lankan High Commissioner Sarath K Weragoda at his office in Dhaka on Wednesday. Sri Lanka has long been talking about importing drugs from Bangladesh. The minister told the Lankan envoy that they would gain 'enormously' from Bangladesh's ‘quality’ and ‘cheap’ drugs. They discussed also bilateral issues and stressed the need for increased trade. Currently, the trade volume is $90 million, according to bdnews24.com.