India’s junior external affairs minister VK Singh is due to arrive in Dhaka on Aug 23 on a one-day “private visit” to attend a business conclave.
Published : 19 Aug 2014, 06:48 PM
Chief Executive Officer of India- Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IBCCI) Jahangir Bin Alam told bdnews24.com that Singh would join their conclave in his capacity as a state minister (independent charge) for the Development of North Eastern Region.
“He responded to our invitation. It’s a private visit, not official,” Alam said.
The IBCCI jointly with the Indian Chamber of Commerce will organise the ‘India-Bangladesh Business Conclave’ on Aug 24 at a Dhaka hotel.
The conclave will particularly focus on India’s northeast region. Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma will also join the conclave.
Former Chief of Army Staff, General Singh joined the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) on Mar 1 this year and got elected from Ghaziabad constituency in the general elections.
He retired from his military role on May 31, 2012.
Alam said the day-long conclave will discuss India-Bangladesh trade and “how we can further enhance trade addressing various barriers”.
Bangladesh is currently India’s biggest trading partner among the SAARC countries.
According to the IBCCI, Indian investment stood at $ 2.5 billion last year.
Since Nov 2011, Bangladesh has been enjoying duty-free, quota-free access to the Indian market for all items except 25 tariff lines consisting of tobacco, spirits and alcohol.
But Bangladesh’s $563.9 million exports to India in the last fiscal were the highest ever against India’s export of over $ 4.5 billion.
“We’ll discuss various bottlenecks that are coming in the way of increasing the trade,” Alam said, adding that government’s ministers and prime minister’s advisers would participate in the conclave.