Sri Lanka for signing FTA with Bangladesh

Sri Lanka is interested to sign a free trade agreement (FTA) with Bangladesh to boost bilateral trade and investment between the two countries, commerce minister Tofail Ahmed said on Monday.
He said this after a views-exchange meeting with a Sri Lankan delegation at his secretariat office.
The government has taken initiatives with a view to enhancing trade between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. There are huge opportunities to increase trade between the two countries, Tofail said.
"We are working on the proposed FTA and we hope Bangladesh and Sri lanka will sign it very soon", the minister said.
He said necessary steps would be taken top signing the FTA at the secretary level meeting of the two countries which will be finalised very soon, he said.
Sri Lanka is advancing economically. The country wants to expand connectivity with Bangladesh, commerce minister said.  
Bilateral trade between the two countries is not significant compared with other neighbouring countries. There is a huge demand of Bangladesh's products in Sri lanka.  The investment and trade will increase manifold if we can sign FTA,  Tofail said.
Senior minister of international monetary cooperation and deputy minister of finance and planning of Sri Lanka, Dr Sarath Amunugama accompanied by Dr. PB Jayasundara, secretary, ministry of finance and planning have been visiting Bangladesh. The delegation arrived in Dhaka Sunday and they will stay until April 24.
 Dr Sarath Amunugama said both Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are likely to get more benefit through increasing bilateral ties.
Sri Lank has been trying to sign an FTA with Bangladesh for the last few years. The ministry is now analysing the possible benefits of the agreement, a commerce ministry source said.
Mahbub Ahmed, senior secretary of the ministry of commerce, was present at the meeting.