Bhutan urges BD to include more products in PTA

Bhutan has requested Bangladesh to include more products in the preferential trade agreement (PTA), as there is a huge scope for increased trade between the two countries.

The request was made when Bhutanese Ambassador Rinchen Kuentsyl paid a courtesy call on Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna in Dhaka on Wednesday.

During the meeting, they discussed various ways to enhance trade between the two countries, establishment of a Special Economic Zone for Bhutan in Bangladesh, collaboration on renewable energy, and other areas of mutual interest.

They also discussed Bengal's influence in Buddhism in the Himalayan Kingdom, a spokesman for the Chief Adviser said.

Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus stressed the need for the enhanced trade and economic cooperation between the two "very friendly" countries. "We would like to see our relations go strong," he emphasised.

The Bhutanese envoy appreciated the Preferential Trade Agreement signed between the two countries in 2020, saying Bangladesh is the only country with whom Bhutan enjoys a trade surplus.

He also appreciated the MoU on establishing Bhutanese Special Economic Zone in Kurigram. Bhutan has already formed a Working Group as per the MoU, he added.

Ambassador Kuentsyl also described how Bangladeshi Buddhist monks and scholars preached Buddhism in Tibet, Nepal and Bhutan.

He spoke about Shantarakshita, an eighth century monk who was an ancestor of Atish Dipankar, the 10th century monk who revived Buddhism in Tibet. Both were born in Munshiganj, Bangladesh.

He also said that as early as the 15th century, Vanaratna, who was also born in Bangladesh, visited Bhutan and set up a statue of Buddha and a monastery there. He is still revered by the people of the Kingdom.

Lamiya Morshed, senior secretary and principal coordinator of SDG affairs, and Ishrat Jahan, a Director General of the foreign ministry, were present at the meeting.

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