Dhaka and Colombo have stressed the need for negotiations over signing the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) at the earliest to unlock the untapped potential of bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
This transpired when Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dharmapala Weerakkody met Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin at the Foreign Ministry earlier this week.
During the meeting, the Foreign Secretary outlined the reform initiatives and priorities of the interim Government aimed at ensuring free and fair elections. In view of the pending agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) between the two countries, both sides stressed the importance of finalising the agreements on coastal shipping, avoidance of double taxation, and mutual administrative assistance in customs matters. They underscored the need for foreign office consultations between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to discuss bilateral relations.
The High Commissioner said that Sri Lanka would propose the dates for the next Foreign Office consultations after the parliamentary elections in Sri Lanka on November 14. Both sides agreed to work closely at the SAARC, BIMSTEC, and other regional and multilateral fora. – TBS
