May 1, 2012

In a bid to ensure smooth stock and supply of the soil nutrient, Bangladesh will import 50,000 tonnes of fertiliser from Belarus through a state-to-state agreement.

Industries Minister Dilip Barua made the proposal of importing the said amount of fertiliser when Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus Sergei Aleinik met the former at his Motijheel office Sunday (Apr 29).

"We are now exporting non-urea fertiliser to Bangladesh," Aleinik said assuring of taking positive steps soon in this connection.

There is ample opportunity to export agro and construction machinery to Bangladesh, he said adding that the Belarusian entrepreneurs will come forward to invest in the country's potential pharmaceutical, agro-machinery, communication infrastructure, steel and power sectors.

The Bangladesh minister also called upon the Belarusian leader for direct or joint venture to invest in the country's potential pharmaceuticals, ready-made garment, light engineering, agro-machinery and power sectors. During the meeting they also discussed increasing bilateral relation and investment between the two countries.

Earlier the minister held a meeting with the delegation of Bangladesh Garment Accessories and Packaging Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGAPMEA), headed by its president Rafez Alam Chowdhury.

The BGAPMEA leaders requested the minister to include the sector which manufactures more than 30 accessories in the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as half of their factories are of small and medium categories.

They urged him to give authority to the association to issue utilisation permission (UP) and annual import availability certificates in a bid to reduce the procedural delays and hassles in export.

The UP certificate is required for exporting the products manufactured using the raw materials and accessories imported under duty-free facilities.