Dhaka, July 15: A wide range of bilateral issues, including border skirmishes, implementation of free trade agreement by October and transhipment facilities for Indian goods, will be discussed during the Indo-Bangladedh joint economic commission meeting which begins today after a gap of six years.
External affairs minister Yashwant Sinha, who arrived here last night, said New Delhi would stress on concluding the free trade agreement with Bangladesh and seeking transit and transhipment facilities for Indian goods through Bangladesh.

India would also like to work to reduce the existing trade gap with Bangladesh, he said yesterday.

The secretary-level standing committee, where the Indian delegation was led by foreign secretary Kanwal Sibal, yesterday decided to discuss the implementation of the free trade agreement by October.

Earlier, Bangladesh foreign minister M Morshed, who will lead his side during the talks, said Dhaka would seek greater access for its goods as well as removal of non-tariff barriers to help reduce the trade gap before agreeing to the FTA.

Besides thorny issues like trade imbalance and frequent border skirmishes, measures to resolve several pending border-related issues such as demarcation of remaining border areas, curbing terror activities and trafficking of men and materials will also be discussed.
Bangladesh's minister of state for foreign affairs Reaz Rahman, who received Sinha last evening, said Dhaka was ready to discuss all issues that would benefit the two countries.

Bureau Report