Trade, investment talks with Cambodia this month

Bangladesh will request Cambodia to strengthen bilateral trade and investment during this month's business promotion meeting in Phnom Penh, officials said.
The two countries approved a trade and investment agreement and granted each other the most-favoured nation status in 2006.
But the volume of bilateral trade and investment between the two countries is still insignificant despite the potential to raise it.
The two countries signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in 2014 to have scientific and technical cooperation in the agricultural sector.
"We will request the Cambodian entrepreneurs to invest in Bangladesh considering the prevailing business-friendly environment prevails in the country," senior secretary of the ministry of commerce (MoC) Hedayetullah Al Mamoon told the FE.
Cambodian commerce minister will be present as the chief guest at the Cambodia business promotion event, which will begin on January 24. Senior secretary of MoC Hedayetullah Al Mamoon will be present as the special guest.
Bangladesh's main exports to Cambodia include garments, footwear and leather goods, knitwear, pharmaceuticals, tableware, home linen, textile, seafood and marine products, tea, potatoes, jute and jute goods, light engineering products, spices, cosmetics, ceramic and melamine products, toiletries etc.
Cambodia mainly exports cotton, edible oil, fertiliser, clinker, staple fibre, yarn, etc. to Bangladesh.
Dhaka has been seeking long-term land lease for contract farming in Cambodia by Bangladeshi nationals.
An agreement was also signed between the two countries for the promotion and reciprocal protection of bilateral investments.
The two countries jointly perform agricultural research. Bangladesh offered scholarships to Cambodian students at Bangladesh Agriculture University.
Bangladesh and Cambodia cooperate in various sectors. In 2010, the two countries agreed to form a joint commission for bilateral cooperation between their foreign ministries. In 2013, they signed a visa exemption agreement for diplomatic passport holders.
    talhabinhabib@yahoo.com