DHAKA: Nepal offered to provide duty free preferential access to 50 products from Bangladesh into Nepalese market while Bangladesh offered duty free access to 108 Nepalese products which was appreciated by Nepal.
The decision was taken in the 2nd Additional Secretary/Joint Secretary Level Technical Committee Meeting between Nepal and Bangladesh that was concluded on April 23.
Embassy of Bangladesh in Kathmandu issued a press release regarding the matter.
The Bangladesh delegation was led by Monoj Kumar Roy, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, and the Nepalese delegation was led by Jib Raj Koirala, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Commerce and Supplies.
The two sides also discussed the need to conclude the Agreement on Dhaka-Kathmandu Direct Bus Service to promote tourism and foster greater people to people contacts, said the release.
The two sides also finalized the text of the draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Nepal Bureau of Standards and Metrology (NBSM) and Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institute (BSTI) on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) matters.
They also finalized the text of the draft MoU between Department of Food Technology and Quality Control (DFTQC) of Nepal and Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institute (BSTI) on Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary Regulations (SPS) matters.
These MoUs are expected to promote and facilitate trade between the two countries reducing barriers to trade.
Both sides expressed the willingness to work closely together to further enhance trade and commercial relations between the two countries.
The meeting adopted an agenda covering a wide range of issues and extensive discussion was held in a cordial manner.
The two sides further agreed that the Agreement of the Operational Modalities for the Carriage of Transit Cargo between Nepal and Bangladesh would be finalized to facilitate movement of cargo between Bangladesh and Nepal and through Bangladesh to third countries by Nepal.
Bangladesh side proposed to have cooperation between the public trading corporations of both the countries and discussed the possibility of signing MoUs between Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) and public trading corporations of Nepal like National Trading Limited of Nepal (NTL) and Salt Trading Corporation of Nepal (STC).
The two sides also agreed to simplify the on arrival visa for the nationals of both countries at the land ports.
Bangladesh also requested for issuance of Business and Employment visa for Bangladesh nationals in Nepal.
The next Joint Secretary level Technical Committee Meeting will be held in Dhaka. It is also expected that the Commerce Secretary level meeting will be held in Dhaka soon.
BDST: 0755 HRS, APR 24, 2015
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