Dhaka-Colombo talks today

The first-ever foreign secretary level consultation between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will be held here today.
The consultation will take place at State Guest House Meghna when Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Mohamed Mijarul Quayes will lead Bangladesh delegation while his counterpart Chrysantha Romesh Jayasinghe will lead Sri Lanka delegation.
The consultation is going to take place under a Protocol signed in April 2003, which provides for an institutional forum for review of the full range of Bangladesh-Sri Lanka bilateral relations.
Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan foreign secretary, who arrived in Dhaka yesterday to attend the consultation, called on Foreign Minister Dipu Moni at her office.
During the meeting, they discussed various issues of mutual interest.
She expressed hope that the consultation, which will be held today between the two foreign secretaries, will intensify cooperation between the two countries in various fields of bilateral and multilateral forums.
Dipu Moni conveyed her gratitude to the government of Sri Lanka for its support to Bangladesh's candidature to host the permanent secretariat of the Bimstec.
She also conveyed her invitation to the foreign minister of Sri Lanka to visit Bangladesh. She stated that Bangladesh is keenly waiting to receive the president of Sri Lanka who is expected to pay a state visit to Bangladesh in the near future.