Steps have been taken to form a new trade body, Bangladesh-Bhutan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, to boost trade between the two neighbouring countries.

The chamber's convener Ejaj Al Qudrat A Majid said they submitted an application to the commerce ministry on Monday seeking the required trade license.

He said the idea was first discussed with the ministers concerned, high officials of the Bhutanese government and business lead-

ers during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's official visit to Bhutan on November 6-9.

As a follow-up measure, the businessmen linked with import and export trade with Bhutan took the initiative to form a joint chamber under the Trade Organisation Ordinance 1961 and the Trade Organisation Rules 1994 to expand trade and economic activities.

“Our business delegation will soon sit with the commerce minister in this regard,” Majid said.

Bangladesh suffers a trade deficit of around $11.4

million with Bhutan as its current exports to that country totalled only $0.6 million against imports worth over $12 million.

Bangladesh exports small quantities of readymade garments, chemical products, cosmetics, medicine, dry food, frozen food and few other items and imports fruits and vegetables, minerals, chemicals, prepared foods, wood and wood prod-ucts, machinery and mechanical appliances, electrical equipment, and plastic products from Bhutan.

Majid, who is also the

chief executive officer of Green Aid (foreign trade and marketing), said that there is a good prospect of attracting Bhutanese students for higher studies in Bangladesh.

He also observed that steps could be taken to set up some joint venture industries of jam, juice and jelly in Bhutan considering the availability of raw materials and uninterrupted power supply.

Products of such joint venture industries will be cost-effective and can be brought back to Bangladesh market, Majid added.