The Saarc trade ministers at their second meeting in Kathmandu, mainly focussing on Safta implementations, yesterday decided to address the non-tariff and para-tariff measures, and issued the directive, according to a message received here.

Finance and Commerce Adviser Dr Mirza Azizul Islam chaired the meeting of the ministers of commerce from all the Saarc countries and new entrant Afghanistan.

He led a six-member Bangladesh delegation to the SMC meeting that preceded a two-day meeting of the Safta Committee of Experts (CoE).

The Safta Ministerial Council at their first meeting had formed the sub-group on NTMs to remove the trade barriers through frequent meetings as and when possible.

But, the Safta CoE meeting, which was scheduled for October last year, did not take place for political unrest in Bangladesh while the meetings of the sub-group deferred twice for the same reason.