Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina receives her Bhutanese counterpart Tshering Tobgay with a bouquet when he arrives at the Prime Minister’s Office in Dhaka on Saturday. BSS Photo Bangladesh urged Bhutan to consider it as a partner in its future hydro-power projects as Dhaka and Thimpu on Saturday agreed to bridge the existing trade gap between two countries through the expansion of trade and commerce, reports UNB. The request came at the official bilateral talks between Bangladesh and Bhutan at Prime Minister’s Office. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Bhutanese counterpart Tshering Tobgay led their respective sides at the meeting. After the meeting, PM’s Press Secretary AKM Shameem Chowdhury briefed reporters. He said Hasina told the meeting that Bhutan has huge potentials for production of hydro-electricity which can make a significant contribution to the country’s economy by exporting the surplus power to its neighbour. “We’re trying hard for energy security to continue our pace of sustainable development. We’re hopeful that Bhutan’s untapped hydro-power potentials would come to meet our growing energy needs. I would request you to consider Bangladesh in your future hydro-power projects.” She also mentioned that Bangladesh is confident that Bhutan will take care not to allow its hydro-electric projects on the common rivers to have adverse effect on Bangladesh. The Press Secretary said both the leaders stressed enhancing the trade between the two countries for reducing the existing gap as Bangladesh currently exports items worth Tk 20 crore while imports goods worth Tk 175 crore. Hasina said Bangladesh has unilaterally offered Bhutan to use Chittagong and Mongla seaports as also Lalmonirhat and Saidpur airports. “You’re also welcome to use our Paira seaport which is coming up.” The Bangladesh Prime Minister said there remains much scope to intensify cooperation in trade and commerce between the two countries. “Now we need more trade facilitation measurers for deeper market access.” To enhance trade with Bhutan Bangladesh, she said, Bangladesh has taken a number of measurers, including development of trade infrastructure along its border. “These have resulted in a tremendous increase in Bhutanese export to Bangladesh. But flow of our products remains quite low. We hope that Bhutan would allow entry of more Bangladesh products into its market,” Hasina said. She mentioned that Bangladesh has so many products like readymade garments, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, jute and jute products, leather goods, toiletries, chemicals and seasonal vegetables that would meet Bhutan’s needs. Saying that Bangladesh strongly believe in regional cooperation, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said connectivity remains the most crucial issue to enhance regional cooperation. Bangladesh needs to establish itself as the hub of regional connectivity so as to ensure seamless connectivity to the region and beyond. Putting emphasis on enhancing cooperation in flood control and flood migration, she said more reliable flood forecast data from Bhutan would help Bangladesh tackle floods in the Brahmaputra. The Bhutanese Prime Minister greeted Sheikh Hasina for being elected again in the last general elections. He said Bhutan needs skilled workers from Bangladesh, especially octors. In reply Hasina requested him to enhance the the wages of doctors. Tshering Tobgay also requested his Bangladesh counterpart to use bolder instead of bricks in different construction projects in Bangladesh to preserve ecological balance. He lauded the visionary leadership in running a democratic government - as well as in the region. Earlier, while the Bhutanese Prime Minister arrived at the Prime Minister Office (PMO) Sheikh Hasina along with her delegation members welcome him at there. Both the Prime Ministers also had a tete-tete before the official talks. Finance Minister A M A Muhith, Commerce Ministter Tofail Ahmed, Foreign Minister A H Mahmud Ali, State Ministeer for Health Zahid Malek, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid were at the Bangladesh delegation. Bhutanese Foreign Minister Rinzin Dorje, Economic Affairs Minister Norbu Wangchuk, director general of policy and planning division of Foreign Ministry Sonam Tobden Rabgye and chief urban designer/architect Tashi Penjor were on Bhutanese side. Bangladesh, Bhutan to enjoy duty-free export of 90 items Another deal on land allocation for Bhutan’s embassy also inked Bangladesh and Bhutan on Saturday signed two agreements, including one on trade that will allow the two neighbouring countries to enjoy duty-free export of 90 items to each other. Another agreement is on allocation of a land at Dhaka city’s Baridhara diplomatic enclave to Bhutan for the construction of its embassy. Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed and Bhutan’s Economic Affairs Minister Norbu Wangchuk signed the agreement on trade for their respective counties, while Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali and his Bhutanese counterpart Rinzin Dorje inked the deal on the land allocation. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Bhutanese counterpart Tshering Tobgay witnessed the agreement signing ceremony at the Prime Minister’s Office. The signing ceremony over, Tofail Ahmed said the two counties would now enjoy duty-free export of 90 items from each country with the signing of the trade agreement. He said Bhutan had earlier enjoyed duty-free export of 74 items from their country. The Commerce Minister also mentioned that both countries are moving forward to allow all items from both countries. Tofail said Bangladesh and Bhutan would also sign a preferential trade agreement so that both countries could export items from their countries without any hindrance. He said Bangladesh would allow duty-free import of bolder that will be used for the construction of Padma Bridge, a mega infrastructure project of Bangladesh. PM receives Bhutan King’s message recognising independent Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday received the felicitation message sent by the third King of Bhutan Jigme Dorji Wangchuck to then acting President of Bangladesh Syed Nazrul Islam, recognising Bangladesh as an independent country. Visiting Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay on Saturday handed over the felicitation message to his Bangladesh counterpart during their tete-a-tete at the Prime Minister’s Office, said a Foreign Ministry official. Through the message, Bhutan conveyed its recognition of Bangladesh as a sovereign independent country. “On behalf of my Government and myself, I would like to convey to Your Excellency and the Government of Bangladesh that we have great pleasure in recognizing Bangladesh as a sovereign independent country,” the message reads. It also reads, “My people and myself pray for the safety of your great leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and we hope that God will deliver him safely from the present peril so that he can lead your country and people in the great task of national reconstruction and progress.” Wangchuck also wrote that they were confident that the great and heroic struggle of the people of Bangladesh to achieve freedom from foreign domination would be crowned with success in the close future. Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay arrived here on a three-day visit in the morning. This is Tobgay’s first visit to Bangladesh since he assumed office in July 2013, which is exactly the day when Bhutan recognised Bangladesh as an independent state in 1971.
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