Editorial
Bhutanese PM's visit
Dhaka-Thimphu cooperation to expand
Agreements, assurances, and exchange of fresh ideas to move forward bilaterally as well as regionally marked the outcome of Bhutanese Prime Minister, also the SAARC Chairman, Jigmi Y Thinley's visit to Bangladesh.
Bangladesh and Bhutan signed an agreement on cultural exchange and a memorandum of understanding (MOU) pertaining to cooperation in the health sector. In terms of the MOU on health cooperation, upwards of 90 medical specialists and physicians, would be recruited by Thimphu in three years. Exchange of cultural delegations on a regular basis would help strengthen people-to-people relationship. In this context, Thinley's endorsement of a proposal for package tourism among Bangladesh, Bhutan and other neighbouring countries under a single umbrella should be followed up on.
Of particular significance is the joint resolve to expand bilateral trade from worth US$ 30 million now to US 100 million within next few years. Many tradable goods of complementary nature have been identified. An interesting trade-off between our winter vegetables and horticulture commodities and those being produced by Bhutan during its summer months with relatively high altitude will keep the markets of both countries saturated with vegetables round the year.
It is good to know Bangladeshi entrepreneurs would be encouraged to invest in Bhutan's IT, agro-processing, education, hospitality and construction sectors, opening a fresh window of opportunity for us.
That Bangladesh's offer to landlocked Bhutan the use of Chittagong and Mongla ports would be worked out in detail by officials of both countries augurs well for mutually beneficial connectivity across the region.
On two other particular points the understanding that has been forged between the two governments is of special import: first, the sharing of data between upper riparian Bhutan and lower riparian Bangladesh on the Brahmaputra river, especially pertaining to its frequent flooding; and cooperation in hydro-power sector following augmentation of capacity in Bhutan on a regional basis.
The hall-mark of historic ties between Bhutan and Bangladesh lay in the contributions of Atish Dipankar, a Buddhist scholar from Bikrampur to the spread of Buddhism and knowledge across the world between 980-1052 AD. It is upon such foundations that secular values of Bangladesh are based, we are happy to recall that.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. 
Related News
An alarming report on children’s exposure to climate risks
7 MIN(s) ago
Editorial
Why is safe water inaccessible for millions despite rising spending?
11 hour(s) ago
Editorial
BB must confront bad loans’ true scale
18 June 2026, 18:38 PM
Editorial
Dolphin deaths must be investigated
18 June 2026, 08:00 AM
Editorial
Weak policing fuelling rise in crimes
17 June 2026, 18:18 PM
Editorial
Comments