Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina meets King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck at the Palace Tashichoedzong in Thimphu yesterday during her four-day visit to the country. Photo: PID

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina proposed that the electric power generated in the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan could be exported to neighbouring countries, including Bangladesh.

The visiting prime minister also stressed the need for joint efforts in power and energy sector, particularly in generating hydroelectricity, for mutual benefits.

She told her audience while addressing a banquet function hosted by her Bhutanese counterpart Jigme Y Thinley at the Royal Banquet Hall in the capital yesterday night.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh renewed its bilateral trade agreement with Bhutan yesterday for the next five years under which Bhutan will get duty-free access of 18 new products to Bangladesh, mainly fruits and vegetables.

In another function, Sheikh Hasina told Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk that Bangladesh and Bhutan could work together in tackling the challenges of climate change.

UNB adds: Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh has already talked to neighbouring India about transit route between Bangladesh and Bhutan aiming to boost cooperation in trade, tourism, industrialisation, power generation and the like.

“Once this route is established, we could immediately start Dhaka-Thimphu direct bus service, with normal transportation.”

She called for intensifying cooperation between Bangladesh and Bhutan specifically in establishing small-and medium-scale industries in both the countries.

Addressing the banquet function hosted by Jigme Y Thinley yesterday night, Sheikh Hasina also stressed the need for joint efforts in power and energy sector, particularly in generating hydroelectricity, for mutual benefits.

The premier proposed that the electric power generated in the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan could be exported to neighbouring countries, including Bangladesh.

“For such regional grid connectivity, our two countries could work together,” she said.

Hasina further called for united efforts for best utilisation of the two countries' scenic beauties in the tourism sector. "We could prepare alluring packages combining visits to the snowy white mountain ranges of the Himalayas with the silvery, sandy beaches of Cox's Bazar in southern Bangladesh,” she said.

The Bhutanese prime minister welcomed Hasina's suggestion for introducing bilateral road communications between the two countries.

“We will be happy if we can set up land communications with Bangladesh,” the host prime minister said when Sheikh Hasina met him at his office Gyalong Tshokhang in the capital yesterday afternoon.

Both the prime ministers agreed that all the South Asian countries need to work in unison for poverty alleviation and protecting people from the climate threats.

The Bhutanese prime minister thanked Hasina for her strong role in the international forums regarding arranging funds for the climate-victim countries, including Bangladesh and Bhutan.

She said, “The gradual melting of the Himalayan glaciers will first harm Bhutan and then Bangladesh as sea level is rising at an alarming rate.”

Sheikh Hasina in her meeting with her Bhutanese counterpart proposed that Bangladesh and Bhutan introduce cross-border road communications through three points--Burimari Port (Lalmonirhat), Tamabil (Sylhet) and Naoka (Sherpur) -- to enhance bilateral trade and people-to-people contact between the two countries.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Deputy Press Secretary to the Prime Minister Nazrul Islam said Sheikh Hasina also told the Bhutanese prime minister that her government is modernising Mongla seaport and other ports of the country, which Bhutan could use for external trade.

She declared at the meeting that the planned Rangamati University will be built in the light of Bhutanese architectures.

Hasina invited the Bhutanese prime minister to visit Bangladesh. The Bhutanese premier accepted the invitation.

Commerce Minister Faruk Khan and Bhutanese Economic Affairs Minister Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuk signed the trade agreement in the presence of the two premiers at the Bhutanese Prime Minister's Office.

After signing the deal, the Bhutanese prime minister expressed his gratitude to the government of Bangladesh for allowing tariff-free access of more Bhutanese products to Bangladesh.

He said, “The farmers of Bhutan will be significantly benefited by the tariff-free access of 18 more products to Bangladesh market.”

Under the renewed trade agreement, Tamabil of Bangladesh has been introduced as a new entry and exit point for Bhutan in the protocol to the trade agreement.

Besides, the number of products has been increased to 90 from the previous 74 for trading between Bangladesh and Bhutan.

The trade agreement was first signed in 1980 for ten years and extended for another 10 years automatically as per provision of the deal that means the validity was up to 2000.

The trade agreement was signed again in 2003 for five years.

BSS adds: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said Bangladesh and Bhutan could work together in tackling the climate change challenges, expanding bilateral trade and enhancing regional cooperation in the greater interest of the two peoples.

"We can take joint efforts in tackling the consequences of global warming as both the countries are exposed to worst impacts of the phenomenon," she said while Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk hosted a reception in her honour at his palace.

The issues, including bilateral trade expansion and enhanced regional cooperation, were other major issues to dominate the nearly one hour meeting, followed by a royal lunch at the king's palace garden at Thimphu.

The Bhutanese king also expressed his eagerness for enhancing bilateral cooperation and sought Bangladesh's support in the country's infrastructure development sector.

She said her government would provide necessary support to Bhutan for its socio-economic and infrastructure development sector alongside taking initiatives for increased trade and economic relations.

She said Dhaka would soon send a business delegation to Bhutan to explore potential areas of bilateral trade.