Business, Publish: 12/10/2018
Dhaka, Colombo to sign FTA soon, says Tofail
Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed said Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have agreed to sign the proposed free-trade agreement (FTA) as soon as possible to boost bilateral trade. “Feasibility study for the FTA has already been done and the government is working to sign the deal within its current tenure,” he added, reports BSS.

The commerce minister stated this after a view-exchange meeting with visiting Sri Lankan Development Strategic and International Trade Minister Malik Samarawickrama at his secretariat office this afternoon, said a press release.

Tofail told the Sri Lankan minister that Bangladeshi businessmen were keen to set up cement and paper factory in Sri Lanka as well as export jewelry, construction materials and pharmaceuticals items. “But to go ahead with this move, bilateral agreement is needed,” he added.

Replying to the commerce minister, Malik said Sri Lanka also wanted to increase trade and business with Bangladesh. Malik hoped that within shortest possible time Bangladesh-Sri Lanka  trade would boost up and the FTA would ease the bilateral trade.

Commerce Secretary Shubhashish Bose, Bangladesh high commissioner to Sri Lanka Riaz Hamidullah, additional secretary (FTA) M Safiqul Islam, Sri Lankan high commissioner in Dhaka Crisanthe De Silva, business delegation of Sri Lanka and officials concerned were present.