Boost trade with New Zealand, envoy says

Bangladesh should explore the economic opportunities in New Zealand that pursues a no-barrier policy, said a visiting envoy.
Bangladesh can take advantage of the easy and warm relationship between the two countries, James B Bolger, a former prime minister of New Zealand, said at a reception in Dhaka on Sunday.
New Zealand follows an open trade policy and Bangladesh can benefit from it, added Bolger, who is here to pursue Bangladesh's support for their candidature at the UN Security Council membership for 2015-16.
In his speech, Bolger said the role of the UN Security Council is immensely significant in today's world order to forge a better tomorrow.
“New Zealand would reflect Bangladesh's views and ambitions in the global forum,” Bolger told The Daily Star on the sidelines on why Bangladesh should support New Zealand.
Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, who attended the event as chief guest, said New Zealand supported the nation's war of liberation and was one of the few first countries to recognise Bangladesh.
New Zealand also supported Bangladesh's membership in the UN in 1974, he added.
Bangladesh still could not take advantage of duty-free trade offered by New Zealand with a deficit in the international trade balance with New Zealand, he said.    
Neaz Ahmed, New Zealand's honorary consul in Bangladesh, said the island country recently placed a $6.6 billion order with Bangladeshi ship building company Western Marine to procure an oceangoing vessel.