Need to boost Indo-Bangladesh trade: envoy

Bangladesh Foreign Minister M Morshed Khan on Wednesday made an impassioned plea for removing mistrust between his country and India on economic matters as soon as possible as 'tomorrow it will be too late.'

Khan caused amusement and approval by dispensing with the written speech prepared by his ministry.

"I don't want to go by beautifully written words which have little meaning. I want to speak from my heart," he said and proceeded to give a frank appraisal of the ills that plagued Indo-Bangladesh trade and commerce.

"We are still suffering from the legacy of mutual mistrust, the fear of the unknown, we do not see beyond our visual limit," Khan warned.

Contending that businessmen on both sides of the border wanted a congenial atmosphere, he wondered aloud why the countries in the subcontinent like India, Pakistan and Bangladesh did not have a regional trade association like the European Union.

"We must wake up to the new realities," he pointed out, adding that he was sorry if he was being critical, something which was absolutely necessary if trade and commerce in the South Asian region were to flourish.

He regretted that while Indian exports were to the tune of $3 billion-plus, that of Bangladesh was hovering around $100 million.

Contending that his country was ready to fully facilitate trade and commerce between the two countries, he cited the example of anti-dumping duty being slapped on a Bangladeshi company that had done business worth 30 million Bangladeshi takas.

He emphasised that if his country was willing to extend all cooperation to India in the context of economic relations, " surely we are entitled to some reciprocity.'

"India and Bangladesh are destined to work together," Khan said. He made a strong case for rectifying trade imbalances between the two countries for which major steps for confidence building measures have to be taken.

Khan lamented that whenever his country approached Indian authorities to enhance further business relations, he was handed 'a list of terrorists.'

He explained that criminals on both sides of the border utilised miscreants for illegal purposes.

He said that 'geographical boundaries are collapsing,' and pointed out that he had come as a special envoy of Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia to improve relations with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government.

Khan paid glowing tributes to Congress president Sonia Gandhi for her declining the prime ministership.

"You can become much more powerful, by sacrificing power, than anyone can hope to achieve," he said.

He also advocated a common platform for standardisation for the goods of the South Asian nations.