KATHMANDU, July 30 : The main South Asian regional group on Tuesday took new steps toward eliminating tariffs to boost trade in the region, reports AFP. Senior officials from South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries began a three-day meeting here to set an agenda for bringing down tariffs. The inter-governmental group on trade liberalisation will make recommendations to the governments of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka on how to free up trade. The meeting was inaugurated by SAARC Secretary General Naeem U Hasan who stressed the importance of regional cooperation for developing regional trade and commerce through concessional tariffs. The member nations set up the South Asian Preferential...
"Bangladesh is my university and I am regularly learning from her," said Zanele Mbeki, the visiting First Lady of South Africa, impressed at success of some innovative ventures over here.
...Prime Minister Khaleda Zia yesterday requested the Canadian government to assist in setting up colleges in Bangladesh either independently or under joint venture to ensure quality education in the country.
...The government plans to introduce a feeder shipping service between Bangladesh and Myanmar to boost bilateral trade, official sources said yesterday.
...The Bangladesh Biman's first hajj flight with 274 pilgrims abroad arrived in Saudi Arabia to a warm welcome on Saturday afternoon. The flight touched down at King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah at 5:30pm (Saudi time) where officials of Bangladesh mission received them at the Hajj Terminal.
...Chief Minister of Tripura Manik Sarkar yesterday said his government has definite information that there were 51 bases of anti-India organisations in Bangladesh.
...President Iajuddin Ahmed and Prime Minister Khaleda Zia greeted Cuban President Dr Fidel Castro on the occasion of national day of his country to be celebrated Saturday. In his message to Castro, the President hoped that the existing bonds of friendship and cooperation between Dhaka and Havana would be strengthened further in the years to come.
He wished the friendly people of Cuba continued peace, progress and prosperity.
In a similar message, Khaleda Zia conveyed her best wishes for continued peace, progress and prosperity of the Cuban people.
President Iajuddin Ahmed and Prime Minister Khaleda Zia felicitated Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council and Prime Minister of Myanmar, senior general Than Shwe on the occasion of his country's Independence Day.
...Bangladesh Biman starts operating its hajj flights to Jeddah from Zia International Airport today Prime Minister Khaleda Zia will inaugurate the hajj flight at the airport at 12:30pm, said a Biman press release yesterday.
On the opening day, the first flight will leave Dhaka for Jeddah at 1pm with 274 ballotee hajj pilgrims. Biman will carry 25,000 ballotee and non-ballotee hajj pilgrims to Saudi Arabia through its 29 ballotee and 70 non-ballotee hajj flights.
Ministers, parliament members, foreign diplomats and high government officials will be present at the inaugural programme.
A new road in Sierra Leone, linking three of its provinces, built by Bangladesh troops in UN peacekeeping operations, has been named after Bangladesh, Foreign Minister M Morshed Khan said yesterday.
The newly elected government of Sierra Leone, he said, also made Bangla one of the official languages of the country.
The Foreign Minister said the Bangladesh troops shared their food with the people of Sierra Leone and for their dedication and commitment other countries in the region contributed the funds for construction of the road.
Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and her Thai counterpart Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday exchanged new year's greetings over phone and agreed that their recent visits have ushered in a new horizon in bilateral relations and development efforts of the two countries.
In the telephonic conversation, the two leaders hoped that their visits would open up a new window of multi-faced developments and strengthen people to people ties.
Both Khaleda and Shinawatra wished each other good health and long life, and the people of the two countries continued peace, progress and prosperity.
