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Delhi assures Dhaka of cutting trade gap

Fakhruddin urges Manmohan to remove non-tariff barriers

UNB, Neu-Delhi
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh yesterday assured that they would take steps to reduce the existing trade gap between Bangladesh and India.
The Indian premier made the assurance as Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed requested him to take measures for striking a balance in the volume of trade between the two countries through narrowing the existing gap.
To this end. Bangladesh also requested India to increase trade facilities for increased export of Bangladeshi products to the Indian market through removing nontariff barriers.
The assurances and requests were made when the chief adviser had a meeting with the Indian prime minister at his residence in the afternoon
During the bilateral talks, the Indian side mentioned the import of 80 lakh pieces of garments annually from Bangladesh. Bilateral, regional and international issues
also came up for discussion.
The chief adviser arrived in New Delhi yesterday to attend the second summit of the Bimstec. The summit will be held at Hotel Taj Palace in the Indian capital today.
After the meeting, Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury and CA's Press Secretary Syed Fahim Munaim briefed the newsmen.
As the Indian prime minister wanted to know about Bangladesh's general election, the chief adviser said the government is on the right track and the election will be held on Decembpr 18.
Manmohan lauded the completion of voter list with photographs of over 80 million voters in a short time by the present caretaker government.
Referring to his visit in a couple of days to Washington to attend a conference on global financial crisis, the Indian prime minister wanted to know from the chief adviser what matters he (Manmohan) could raise on behalf of the LDCs (least developed countries).
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The CA said the negative impact of global financial meltdown is not being noticed, but it could cast impact on real economy.
Fakhruddin called for attention so that the global economic meltdown "doesn't hamper the efforts for attaining MDGs".
About terrorism, both of them expressed identical views, saying that the two countries are against terrorism and would help each other in the fight against terrorism.
The Indian prime minister expressed satisfaction over Bangladesh's agricultural production. saying that the country today achieved “self-sufficiency in food production’
The chief adviser thanked the Indian prime minister for exporting rice by India to Bangladesh as the country had some shortages of food last year.
Manmohan also appreciated various achievements in social sectors by Bangladesh. He said Bangladesh has taken a lead over India in many areas.
"Success in RMG sector is contributing to poverty alleviation and women empowerment apart from economic uplift." he was quoted as saying.
The Indian prime minister also appreciated Bangladesh’s proposal to set up Bimstec food bank
About Bimstcc, the foreign adviser said,the forum's summit will discuss mainly four subjects— economic meltdown, energy, food crisis and climate change.
He hoped that the summit would be successful.
The foreign adviser, CA's press secretary and Bangladesh high commissioner to India were on Bangladesh side while Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee, national security
adviser, foreign secretary and the Indian high commissioner to Bangladesh were present at the meeting from the Indian side.