UNB, Dhaka :
Finance Minister AMA Muhith, now in New Delhi, on Monday said Bangladesh has the potential to become the transport and transshipment centre for India, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Myanmar for their collective economic growth.
His comments came in a statement at the Finance Minister’s meeting of South Asia Sub-regional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) hosted by India in collaboration with Asian Development Bank.
The meeting brought together finance ministers from seven SASEC member nations- Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal and Sri Lanka to launch the SASEC Vision Document 2025.
Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley presided over the day-long meeting, according to Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi.
Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Syed Muazzem Ali was present.
Muhith said Bangladesh’s closeness with India, Myanmar, Bhutan, Nepal and China’s Kunming makes it an ideal regional hub of connectivity.
A further improvement of the multi-modal connectivity will “lead to enhanced economic cooperation among the countries of the region,” he said. He said Bangladesh’s under-construction Padma Bridge will also help improve connectivity with the neighbouring countries.
Bangladesh, Muhith said, is being supported under SASEC in strengthening road, rail, and maritime connectivity with neighboring countries along the key trade routes.
As part of the ADB-assisted SASEC platform for regional power trade and interconnection arrangements, Bangladesh has expanded power sharing arrangements with India, which possibly be expanded with Bhutan and Nepal (via India), he said.
Muhith said Bangladesh government is also very keen to take necessary steps that create a more enabling environment for enhancing intra-sub-regional trade. Building a National Trade Portal is near finalization with a view to processing and issuance of import export registration certificate and connection with the national single window system.
Finance Minister AMA Muhith, now in New Delhi, on Monday said Bangladesh has the potential to become the transport and transshipment centre for India, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Myanmar for their collective economic growth.
His comments came in a statement at the Finance Minister’s meeting of South Asia Sub-regional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) hosted by India in collaboration with Asian Development Bank.
The meeting brought together finance ministers from seven SASEC member nations- Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal and Sri Lanka to launch the SASEC Vision Document 2025.
Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley presided over the day-long meeting, according to Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi.
Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Syed Muazzem Ali was present.
Muhith said Bangladesh’s closeness with India, Myanmar, Bhutan, Nepal and China’s Kunming makes it an ideal regional hub of connectivity.
A further improvement of the multi-modal connectivity will “lead to enhanced economic cooperation among the countries of the region,” he said. He said Bangladesh’s under-construction Padma Bridge will also help improve connectivity with the neighbouring countries.
Bangladesh, Muhith said, is being supported under SASEC in strengthening road, rail, and maritime connectivity with neighboring countries along the key trade routes.
As part of the ADB-assisted SASEC platform for regional power trade and interconnection arrangements, Bangladesh has expanded power sharing arrangements with India, which possibly be expanded with Bhutan and Nepal (via India), he said.
Muhith said Bangladesh government is also very keen to take necessary steps that create a more enabling environment for enhancing intra-sub-regional trade. Building a National Trade Portal is near finalization with a view to processing and issuance of import export registration certificate and connection with the national single window system.
