Bangladesh's business leaders yesterday at a function stressed the need for regular shipping services between Bangladesh and Pakistan to increase bilateral trade.

"Trade between Bangladesh and Pakistan occasionally suffers due to irregular shipping service between ports of the two countries. To improve the situation we should find ways to increase frequency of shipping services," said FBCCI President Mir Nasir Hossain.

The FBCCI president said the trade potential between the two countries may now be exploited to the maximum extent both under bilateral arrangements and Safta, which takes effect in January next year.

He was addressing a function on relief handover to Pakistani High Commissioner in Dhaka Alamgir

Babar for earthquake affected people in Pakistan.

The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) handed over some 5,000 pieces of blankets to the Pakistan high commission.

About the Pakistani entrepreneurs' willingness to relocate some of the textile mills in Pakistan to Bangladesh, Mir Nasir said Bangladesh is currently privatising a number of state-owned jute mills, textile mills and engineering enterprises. "Entrepreneurs of Pakistan with their vast experiences can grab the opportunities," he said.

Babar said implementation of Safta will help the two countries increase trade volume as well as achieve the target of $ 1 billion trade between the two countries by 2007.

He also called for initiatives from both the governments to accelerate the trade and economic co-

operation between the two countries.

In 2004-05, Pakistan export to Bangladesh was $ 138 million while export from Bangladesh was only $ 63 million.

Major import items from Pakistan are cotton and cotton textiles, cereals and fruits, mineral products, machinery and appliances, food and beverages, chemical and allied products and exports to Pakistan from Bangladesh include raw jute, jute goods, tea, betel leaves, jute yarn and twine.

FBCCI directors MA Rouf Chowdhury and Kamran Rahman and Managing Director of Alltex Industries Limited Fahim Uddin Ahmad Arif also spoke at the function.