NEW DELHI: Leading industry bodies of India and Bangladesh, the FICCI and the FBCCI, on Saturday brought out a six-point agenda to boost trade and investment between both the neighboring nations.
This included setting up a Joint Task Force on Tariff and Non-Tariff Barriers and another Joint Task Force to promote Indian investments in Bangladesh in the focus areas of infrastructure, education, healthcare, power and tourism. The agenda also included connectivity initiatives for expansion of sub-regional cooperation among BBIN (Bhutan-Bangladesh- India-Nepal) countries to cover links through road, rail, rivers, sea, transmission lines, petroleum pipelines and digital, a FICCI statement said.
In addition, it included pursuing joint investments and a road-map for cooperation in the Bay of Bengal in exploration of hydrocarbons, marine resources, deep sea fishing, preservation of marine ecology and disaster management. It also included collaboration in knowledge sharing to facilitate innovation and research and forming a partnership on skill development.
The agenda was released on the occasion of the visit of Sheikh Hasina, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh. The FICCI statement said B2B meetings were held with the high-powered Bangladeshi business delegation accompanying the Prime Minister. The delegation comprised businessmen representing sectors such as automobiles, cement, insurance & banking, ready-made garments, shipping, IT/ITeS, food and beverages, jute, power, renewable energy, real estate, electronic & print media, packaging, poultry, education, health and pharma, chemicals and telecommunication, it added.
Speaking at a FICCI seminar on ‘Doing Business with Bangladesh’, Veena Sikri, Former Ambassador of India to Bangladesh, said the areas surrounding India and Bangladesh border should be developed as zones of prosperity. Ms. Sikri said that the issue of connectivity was vital, adding that financial and knowledge connectivity need to be strengthened. She said IT must be leveraged to strengthen ties.
Abdul Matlub Ahmad, President, FBCCI, who is leading the Bangladesh business delegation, said Bangladesh was on a sound economic footing with forex reserves of $32 billion, adding that the government has decided to retain $25 billion and release the rest for investments overseas with India emerging as a favoured destination. Nahid Rashid, Commercial Counsellor, Bangladesh High Commission, New Delhi, encouraged the industry on both sides to raise all issues for timely resolution.
