Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed said in Hanoi that Bangladesh and Vietnam would sign free-trade agreement (FTA) soon to boost bilateral trade.
“Vietnam’s Prime Minister Niguyan Xuan Phaok has welcomed Bangladesh’s proposal and expressed his country’s interest to sign FTA,” said the minister after a meeting with the Vietnamese premier at the latter’s office on Thursday (Sept 13), said a ministry release.
Referring to the longstanding bilateral trade and commerce relations between Bangladesh and Vietnam, Tofail said as the LDC’s coordinator in 2007 he had played a pivotal role for Vietnam’s WTO membership.
Recalling Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to Vietnam in 2012 and President Abdul Hamid’s visit in 2015, the commerce minister said bilateral relationship has been strengthened further through Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang’s visit to Bangladesh in 2018.
Praising the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Bangladesh’s development, the Vietnamese Premier said both the countries have huge potentiality to expand bilateral trade and business.
Vietnamese Premier also told the commerce minister that his country is keen to invest in Bangladesh’s gas, agriculture, education and health sectors.
Bangladesh Ambassador Samina Naz and Vietnamese deputy minister for trade were present.