Russia to ease entry of Bangladeshi goods

Russia will liberalise rules related to trade for allowing entry of more Bangladeshi items, particularly the pharmaceutical products, into its market.
The assurance came during a bilateral meeting between the foreign ministers of Bangladesh and Russia in Moscow on Wednesday.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey V Lavrov and Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dipu Moni led their respective countries at the meeting.
The Russian side gave assurance of expediting and liberalising the registration procedures for Bangladeshi pharmaceutical products, a foreign ministry press statement said yesterday.
The Russian foreign minister said at the meeting that Bangladesh enjoyed duty-free and quota-free access as an LDC under the framework of Council of Euro-Asian Economic Community, members of which are Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan.
Under the framework, jute, tea, frozen foods and pharmaceutical products can enjoy duty and quota-free access.
Dipu Moni reiterated her request to Russia to extend the duty and quota-free access to readymade garments, ceramics and knitwear.
The foreign ministers reviewed the whole range of bilateral relations between the two countries including economic, energy and power, trade, cultural, educational and defense cooperation.
The two ministers especially discussed the proposed visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to the Russian Federation.
They also discussed cooperation in construction of nuclear power plant in Bangladesh, reviewed status of a number of proposed agreements, duty and quota-free access of Bangladeshi products to Russian market, and exchanging diplomatic properties.
Dipu Moni expressed her satisfaction over developments in the preliminary steps for setting up the nuclear power plant, assistance of Gazprom in the oil and gas exploration sector, and modernisation of old electricity generation units.
The Bangladesh minister was also happy with the status of draft agreements some of which were ready to be signed during the forthcoming visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The two foreign ministers also discussed different regional and international issues of common concern.
Dipu Moni gratefully recalled the valuable contribution of the government and people of former Soviet Union and the Russian people in the War of Liberation in 1971.
The Russian foreign minister said the Bangladesh prime minister's visit would pave the way forward for strengthening cooperation between Bangladesh and Russia. The Russian foreign minister hosted a luncheon in honour of Dipu Moni.
The Bangladesh foreign minister was assisted by Bangladesh Ambassador to the Russian Federation SM Saiful Hoque and senior officials from the foreign ministry, while the Russian foreign minister was assisted by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexey N Borodavkin and other senior officials of the Russian foreign ministry and Gazprom.
The two foreign ministers also briefed the members of the local and international press based in Moscow.