DHAKA: Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are going to sign the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) aiming to strengthen the bilateral trade cooperation between the two countries.

Commerce ministers of both the countries will sign the agreement in December next, said a reliable source of the foreign affairs ministry.

An official of the ministry told Banglanews that the FTA signing with Sri Lankan will be the first such agreement of Bangladesh with any country. The free trade agreement with Sri Lanka will boost bilateral trade between the countries, he added.

Bangladesh had offered signing of such agreement to many countries. Sri Lankan has only responded to such proposal of Bangladesh till now.

Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena came in Dhaka in a three-day state visit on July 13. Some MoUs were signed between the two countries during his visit.

At that time, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Lankan President agreed to sign the free trade agreement.

Earlier, commerce minister Tofail Ahmed visited Colombo, the capital city of Sri Lankan, in 2016 and at that time, the two countries agreed to sign such agreement.  

Tofail Ahmed had said the FTA deal would allow Bangladesh use the Colombo port that would save three days for local importers or exporters.

BDST: 1215 HRS, JULY 25, 2017
EHJ