Zillur-led team's visit to Myanmar deferred
Saturday, 15 November 2008
Naim-Ul-Karim
A government delegation's scheduled visit to Myanmar November 19 to discuss progress in issues concerning bilateral trade, commerce and investment suffered a setback as the country's relations with the eastern neighbour wobbled over the escalating maritime boundary disputes, sources said Friday.
The government delegation, led by Commerce Adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman, was scheduled to visit Yangon to discuss progress in a number of previously-discussed issues for boosting bilateral trade and commerce.
Talking to the FE, Commerce Secretary Feroz Ahmed said: "He (commerce adviser) is not leaving now."
Sources said the commerce ministry arranged the visit aiming to make some progress in the entire gamut of issues concerning bilateral trade, commerce and investment including Bangladesh's proposal to Myanmar to lease its farmland.
Bangladesh called upon Myanmar in June last to lease its farmland near the border for rice cultivation to meet the growing domestic demand for food.
Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed, head of the country's interim government, formally made the request during a farewell call by Myanmar's ambassador Nyan Lynn at that time.
An official said vast lands have been left untilled in Myanmar's Rakhine state, bordering Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar district, as Myanmar produces enough rice to feed its 54 million people.
"We are interested to sign an agreement with Myanmar on farming as soon as possible," he said, adding that the issue came across the table during Myanmar's Vice Senior General Maung Aye's recent visit to Dhaka with a 55-member entourage, including seven ministers.
During the visit, both the countries agreed to continue talks to resolve outstanding issues to make progress in bolstering trade, commerce and investment relations.
Bangladesh and Myanmar have already signed an agreement to avoid double taxation to help boost trade, which currently stands at around $60 million annually.
As part of the consensus, the official said: "We arranged the visit to Myanmar."
He, however, expressed the hope that the visit would take place any time after senior officials of both the countries meet in Dhaka this week to end the impasse over the maritime boundary disputes.
A technical delegation of Myanmar is expected to visit Dhaka in the middle of the month to discuss maritime boundary demarcation, he said, adding that the meeting was scheduled for November 16 and 17 in the city.
Relations between Dhaka and Yangon were put to test as Myanmar began oil and gas exploration in the disputed deep-sea blocks in the Bay of Bengal recently.
The two have been holding talks for years to demarcate their border in the Bay of Bengal.
A government delegation's scheduled visit to Myanmar November 19 to discuss progress in issues concerning bilateral trade, commerce and investment suffered a setback as the country's relations with the eastern neighbour wobbled over the escalating maritime boundary disputes, sources said Friday.
The government delegation, led by Commerce Adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman, was scheduled to visit Yangon to discuss progress in a number of previously-discussed issues for boosting bilateral trade and commerce.
Talking to the FE, Commerce Secretary Feroz Ahmed said: "He (commerce adviser) is not leaving now."
Sources said the commerce ministry arranged the visit aiming to make some progress in the entire gamut of issues concerning bilateral trade, commerce and investment including Bangladesh's proposal to Myanmar to lease its farmland.
Bangladesh called upon Myanmar in June last to lease its farmland near the border for rice cultivation to meet the growing domestic demand for food.
Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed, head of the country's interim government, formally made the request during a farewell call by Myanmar's ambassador Nyan Lynn at that time.
An official said vast lands have been left untilled in Myanmar's Rakhine state, bordering Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar district, as Myanmar produces enough rice to feed its 54 million people.
"We are interested to sign an agreement with Myanmar on farming as soon as possible," he said, adding that the issue came across the table during Myanmar's Vice Senior General Maung Aye's recent visit to Dhaka with a 55-member entourage, including seven ministers.
During the visit, both the countries agreed to continue talks to resolve outstanding issues to make progress in bolstering trade, commerce and investment relations.
Bangladesh and Myanmar have already signed an agreement to avoid double taxation to help boost trade, which currently stands at around $60 million annually.
As part of the consensus, the official said: "We arranged the visit to Myanmar."
He, however, expressed the hope that the visit would take place any time after senior officials of both the countries meet in Dhaka this week to end the impasse over the maritime boundary disputes.
A technical delegation of Myanmar is expected to visit Dhaka in the middle of the month to discuss maritime boundary demarcation, he said, adding that the meeting was scheduled for November 16 and 17 in the city.
Relations between Dhaka and Yangon were put to test as Myanmar began oil and gas exploration in the disputed deep-sea blocks in the Bay of Bengal recently.
The two have been holding talks for years to demarcate their border in the Bay of Bengal.