KALADAN NEWS

Dated-6th March 1003.

DHAKA, RANGOON PLAN TRADE EXPANSION

Chittagong, March 6: Bangladesh and Burma will set up

a joint trade commission during PM Khaleda Zia’s visit

to Rangoon on 19th this month. A foreign ministerial

joint commission will also be set up to oversee

bilateral relations, according to the Daily Star report.

The two neighbours will pen agreements to introduce “

accounts trade” and coastal shipping links to boost

trade, the foreign ministry sources said.

The two neighbours , Burma and Bangladesh will change

the existing border trade agreement signed in 1994 to

prohibit  trading of third-country products, Commerce

ministry sources said.

Manufactured goods will require at least 30 per cent

value addition to be traded. The account trade

arrangement would initiate two-way transactions of

goods without the need for cash payment, the Daily

Star reported.

The proposed joint trade commissions to be headed by

the commerce ministers of the two countries will

regularly reviewed and identify products for

exchanges. The commission will also identify and

resolved trade problems, the newspaper said.

Under the coastal shipping deal, Chittagong, Cox’s

Bazar and Teknaf will be linked to the Burma ports of

Rangoon, Akyab and Maungdaw, the newspaper reported.

In 2000-2001, the trade volume between two countries

leaving a trade gap of $ 23.33 million against

Bangladesh. But 2001-2002, the trade volume came dawn

to around $19 million with trade imbalance still

against Bangladesh $4.5 million, official sources

said.

It was not known whether any agreement on repatriation

of the Rohingya refugees would be signed. Burma has

assured that the refugees would be taken back after

identity verification, Foreign office sources said.

“Both sides are optimistic that the issue would be

resolved soon,” a highly placed source at the foreign

office said.

Editor

Kaladan Press Network.