Bangladesh, Belarus sign MoUs on agriculture, food
Dhaka and Minsk yesterday inked two deals, one on cooperation over agriculture and food and another on formation of a foreign ministry-level joint commission, to strengthen bilateral cooperation in education, culture, agriculture, investment and trade.
Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, in the first-ever visit by a Bangladeshi leader to Belarus, signed the Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) at the end of her three-day visit.
Dipu Moni, before returning to Bangladesh, called on Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko yesterday morning and discussed on ways to deepen bilateral cooperation, says a foreign ministry press release.
She told the press that there are a number of areas where Bangladeshi business and industry would find Belarus very convenient, especially in sourcing materials in terms of cost, technology and global standard.
Belarus, part of the Russia-Kazakhstan led Customs Union, can afford to let in frozen food, pharmaceutical products, jute goods, ready-made garments and textiles, she said.
This would provide Bangladesh a new market and help secure a strategic foothold in the neighbouring EU, she added.
Earlier, Dipu Moni also held discussions with Belarus Prime Minister Mikhail Myasnikovich and her counterpart Sergei Martynov.
During these discussions, the Belarus side expressed deep interest in engaging with Bangladesh in forming joint ventures, with participation from the private sector.
They agreed to make the Bilateral Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement, signed in 2007, critical legal instruments on investment protection and promotion and double tax avoidance, effective by the end of 2012.
They also agreed that the existing MoU between the two apex chambers should be implemented to complement the agreement and expedite the conclusion of MoUs/agreement on cooperation in education, culture, science and technology.
Agreeing that both countries can benefit from cooperation in the tourism sector, they welcomed Bangladeshi students who want to go for higher studies at universities in Belarus.
The prime minister proposed Bangladeshi investors to set up an agro-machinery plant by the world-famous Minsk Tractor Factory, establish a university through joint cooperation and pharmaceutical plants in Belarus.
On Bangladesh's invitation, the prime minister confirmed to come on a visit around November.
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