BSS, Sangsad Bhaban :
Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed Tuesday told the Jatiya Sangsad that the government is examining signing of Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) with Myanmar to expand market for Bangladesh products.
Replying to a question from treasury bench member Moazzem Hossain Ratan, he said the 7th Joint Trade Commission’s (secretary-level) meeting of Bangladesh and Myanmar, held in Myanmar capital Naypyidaw on January 14-15 this year, decided to examine the possibility of signing PTA between the two countries for expansion of bilateral trade.
Tofail Ahmed said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has planned to join the third Bimstec summit to be held on March 4 in Myanmar capital Naypyidaw. During the Prime Minister’s visit, various bilateral issues, including expansion of trade and commerce, will be discussed with the Myanmar authorities, he added.
Responding to a supplementary question, the commerce minister informed the House that the first meeting between Bangladesh and the United States under Trade and Investment Co- operation Framework Agreement (TICFA) is scheduled to be held in Dhaka on April 7 this year.
A US delegation is expected to arrive in Dhaka on April 6 to join this meeting, Tofail said, adding that a number of trade-investment related issues, including duty and quota free market access to the USA, are expected to be discussed in the meeting.
