Expansion of commercial ties between Bangladesh and Brazil

There is a great potential for expanding commerce and business between Bangladesh and Brazil, which is why Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh has Sunday emphasised the need of developing commercial cooperation between the two nations.

She made her point during a courtesy visit from the Brazilian Ambassador to Bangladesh, Paulo Fernando Dias Feres, at the premier’s official mansion, Ganabhaban.

Speech by the Prime Minister Following the meeting, writer Md. Nazrul Islam gave a briefing to the media.

The Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, has asked the Brazilian government to develop bilateral commerce and business.

She stressed the need of negotiating a preferential trade agreement (PTA) or free trade agreement (FTA) with Brazil and the other MERCOSUR (Southern common market) nations, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, as soon as Bangladesh becomes a developing country in 2026.

The Prime Minister noted ongoing talks to negotiate a PTA or FTA with the nations of MERCOSUR, and he urged swift conclusion of those negotiations.

Since both Bangladesh and Brazil are agricultural states, she further stressed the need of strengthening ties between the two nations in this sector.

She also said that the licencing procedure for medicines in Brazil has become more difficult, which is concerning since pharmaceuticals are a big export item for Bangladesh. She made a formal request to Brazil’s government for looser regulations.

Sheikh Hasina has addressed the Rohingya crisis by saying that sheltering over 11 lakh Rohingya refugees has become a significant financial and humanitarian burden for Bangladesh.

She said that every year, over 30,000 Rohingya children are born into displacement.

The prime minister pleaded with Brazil to take a leading role in discussing the Rohingya crisis at the United Nations Security Council.

She sent her best wishes to Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Brazil’s newly elected president.

Sheikh Hasina has expressed her sadness and disbelief at the passing of Brazilian football legend Edson Arantes do Nascimento Pelé.

The Brazilian Ambassador has said that the demand for Bangladeshi RMG is quite high in the Brazilian market. He also mentioned Brazil as a potential large market for RMG goods made in Bangladesh.

According to him, the two nations have a lot of room to expand their economic and technological collaboration.
Paulo Fernando stressed the need to increase communication between the two nations’ citizens and their respective businesses.

The ambassador mentioned the potential for sharing agricultural best practises, experiences, and technologies as part of the bilateral agricultural cooperation.

Attendees included Foreign Senior Secretary Masud Bin Momen, Principal Secretary M. Tofazzel Hossain Miah, and Ambassador at Large Mohammad Ziauddin.

Source: BSS