Reuters-Bangladesh, Myanmar agree t

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Subject: Reuters-Bangladesh, Myanmar agree to expand trade, boost ties 

Bangladesh, Myanmar agree to expand trade, boost ties
04:31 a.m. Oct 05, 1999 Eastern
DHAKA, Oct 5 (Reuters) - Bangladesh and Myanmar have agreed to expand trade
and boost economic ties, officials said on Tuesday, despite a row over
Myanmar refugees.

They said Myanmar's Commerce Minister Major-General Kyaw Than and his
Bangladeshi counterpart Tofael Ahmed had agreed in principle to conclude a
coastal ship service agreement, build a bridge over the Naf river and allow
Bangladeshi businessmen to stay in neighbouring Myanmar for up to 15 days,
instead of two days now.

``The issues agreed in principle in Dhaka would be further considered after
Kyaw Than returns home,'' said Syed Alamgir Faruque Chowdhury, Bangladesh's
commerce secretary.

Bangladesh could invest in Myanmar, particularly agro-based sectors, and
also join industrial ventures, he said.

The bridge over the Naf, in the far southeast of Bangladesh, would help
improve access by traders and visitors from both countries while the ship
service would make the movement of merchandise easier.

Abdul Awal Mintoo, president of Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of
Commerce and Industry, said Myanmar could import pharmaceuticals,
toiletries, ceramics and detergents from Bangladesh.

``We (Bangladesh) can import rice, boulders, cement, pulps, onion, garlic,
dry and fresh fruits, rape seeds, spices, cane and betel nuts from
Myanmar,'' he told a meeting on Tuesday with Kyaw Than, who is on a four-day
visit to Bangladesh. He is heading a six-member trade team.

Commerce officials said the two countries formalised border trade several
years ago but turnover remained low because of cross-border smuggling.
Annual official trade between the two countries was worth about $10 million,
they said.

Relations between the neighbours have suffered because of a long delay in
repatriating thousands of Myanmar Moslem refugees from Bangladesh.

About 21,000 of more than 250,000 refugees, known as Rohingyas, who fled to
southeastern Bangladesh in early 1992 to escape alleged military persecution
in west Myanmar's Arakan province, are still huddled in two camps in
Bangladesh.

Repatriation officials said Yangon was showing little interest in taking the
remaining refugees home.