S Lankan envoy seeks to sign FTA

Sri Lanka wants to sign a free trade agreement with Bangladesh to boost bilateral trade, the country’s ambassador in Dhaka said on Saturday.
Sri Lanka has eased the taxation system to attract foreign investment and Bangladesh can take advantage of it, Sri Lankan ambassador WA Sarath K Weragoda told a meeting in Dhaka.
He said his country imported goods worth of US$ 82.14 million from Bangladesh in 2013. There is scope to increase the import, he said.
He said Dhaka and Colombo should sign either a FTA or preferential trade agreement to boost bilateral trade.
The discussion titled ‘Improving Export: Importing Country’s Perspective’ was held at the DCCI auditorium.
Speaking at the discussion Iraqi Ambassador to Bangladesh Shakir Qasim Mahdi  said bilateral trade between Dhaka and Baghdad is low despite good relations between the two countries.
He called upon Bangladeshi entrepreneurs to invest in Iraq to get the benefits of Baghdad’s investment-friendly policy, according to UNB.