A 12-member military delegation from Myanmar now in city will discuss the matters with their Bangladesh counterparts.

The team is scheduled to meet Bangladesh's Supreme Commander (President), army and navy chiefs, the defence secretary and principal staff officer (PSO) of the Armed Forces Division (AFD) during its six-day stay from September 19 to 24.

Lieutenant General Aung Hwe, commander of Yangon's defence ministry, Bureau of Special Operations, heads the Myanmar delegation.

"Drug trafficking is another aspect that seems to have bedevilled the relations between the border forces of the two countries in recent years and we wish to tackle it together," said a military source.

To facilitate cross-border collaborations, the Myanmar team includes Maj Gen Maung Oo, commander of the Western command, facing the Bangladesh border.

The strategic significance of the visit stems from another prospective collaboration too. Dhaka is learnt to have prepared a shopping list of defence hardware that Myanmar produces.

The list include Myanmar-made 5.56mm light machineguns, assault and automatic rifles as well as 7.62mm light machineguns and a prototype of Chinese type-58 stake mines and type-59 pressure mines. The mines are produced under a Chinese-aided project near Pye (Prome).

Other coveted items in the Myanmar weaponry are a Special Combat Vehicle (SCV) which is roof-mounted with 12.7mm Herstal machinegun, a bonnet-mounted 7.62mm light machinegun, bonnet-mounted 84mm Carl Gustav M2 rocket launcher and 81 and 60 mm mortars.

The military tie-up move follows the strengthening of bilateral ties in economic fields and Dhaka's assurance to Myanmar of not allowing use of Bangladesh's land, air or sea spaces by any power hostile to Myanmar.

Both Bangladesh and Myanmar maintain close military ties with China and Dhaka thinks the 444,000 strong Myanmar armed forces are capable of increasing military deterrence along the Bay of Bengal if a strategic partnership is forged.

Sources said collaboration will also include understanding of the structures of the armed forces of the two countries and likely missions to facilitate joint operations in future.

On top of the agenda is naval cooperation at the Bay of Bengal. Capt Aung Thau, deputy commander of Myanmar's Danyawadya naval base, will aid the Myanmar delegation to discuss naval issues when the delegate meets Navy Chief Rear Admiral Shah Iqbal Mujtaba.

Col Aung Ngwe, a senior officer of Myanmar's office of naval intelligence, is also aiding the delegation on discussion of naval intelligence matters.

Col Pin Naing Tun, acting commander of Myanmar's aircraft maintenance base, will aid the chief of Myanmar delegation during discussions on technical air collaborations.

Col Han Pint, defence attache of Myanmar embassy in Dhaka, was not available for comments on the significance of the high-level military delegation's visit to Bangladesh.