Bangladesh seeks duty free access to Belarus

Bangladesh yesterday demanded duty free facility on export of garment, jute and jute goods, leather and leather goods and pharmaceuticals to increase trade with Belarus.

The Eastern European country is a potential export destination for Bangladesh. However, the shipments have not been growing as the duties are high, according to a statement from Bangladesh's commerce ministry.

Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi said the bilateral trade would increase manifold if the potential sectors can be identified forming a joint working group.

He urged Belarusian businesspeople to invest in the ICT, power and agricultural processing industries in the special economic zones, some 100 f which were being developed across the country by the Bangladesh government.

The minister also said the government has been giving different special facilities to foreign investors of these zones. Bangladesh would be immensely benefited if Belarus extends its technical support to the agricultural sector of Bangladesh, he said. Munshi was addressing a meeting with a business delegation from Belarus at his secretariat office in Dhaka. Dmitry Haritonchik, deputy industries minister of Belarus, led the delegation.

The delegation's visit was based on an invitation marking the birth centennial of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh's independence.

Haritonchik said his government has been working to remove the tariff problems for creating more business opportunities between the two countries. Belarus is interested in investing in nuclear power plants, green transport and waste management, he said.

Belarus also wants to jointly invest in sectors such as in the manufacture of agricultural machineries and development of livestock, he said.