The non-resident High Commissioner of Ghana to Bangladesh Samuel Panyin Yalley Wednesday promised to address visa-related problems Bangladeshi businessmen face. “We will consider resolving visa-related problems faced by Bangladeshi businessmen for visiting Ghana,” he said. His promise came at a discussion meeting with the board of directors of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) at its board room. He also suggested arranging trade fair between the two countries for increasing bilateral trade and investment. He proposed to open an Honorary Consulate in Dhaka. He also showed interest to import jute bags from Bangladesh. Acting president of the FBCCI Md Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin presided over the meeting.   The meeting discussed the potential of businesses between Bangladesh and Ghana. Mr Mohiuddin and Mr Yalley showed interest for wider economic cooperation. They said the two countries could cooperate in different fields, especially in the agriculture sector, for mutual benefits. Bangladeshi businessmen informed the envoy of Ghana about the country’s exports of pharmaceuticals, ready-made garment (RMG), jute and jute goods and plastic products at competitive prices.  The envoy of Ghana, who is based in New Delhi, suggested the FBCCI provide recommendations to him so that bilateral trade and businesses between the two countries could be improved further. “If Ghana comes forward, then Bangladesh can do the same for developing business ties,” Mr Mohiuddin said. He expressed the hope that visa-related problems for Bangladeshi businessmen will be resolved soon. Bangladesh exported RMG, frozen fish, seafood, jute and jute goods and leather to Ghana worth US$1.60 million during the fiscal year (FY) 2014-15, while it imported goods worth $6.92 million in the same period.

Jamalpur economic zone will become an industrial hub to export light engineering, readymade garment, consumer goods and food items to northern-eastern states of India Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) has approved eight development projects worth Tk3,584 crore, including Jamalpur economic zone. The Jamalpur economic zone will be established on 488 acres of land in Jamalpur Sadar at a cost of over Tk302 crore. Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) will implement the project by 2017. The approval came at the Ecnec meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair at the NEC conference room in the capital yesterday. The Jamalpur economic zone will become an industrial hub to export light engineering, readymade garment, consumer goods and food items to northern-eastern states of India, said Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal after the Ecnec meeting. This is the second economic zone that got the Ecnec’s nod after Chinese Economic and Industrial Zone in September last year. BEZA is expected to complete the project by this year to be set up on 774.25 acres of land at Anwara, Chittagong, at a cost of over Tk420 crore exclusively for the Chinese investors. The above two economic zones are of the 17 economic zones proposed by the  BEZA to be set up in the country, including three private zones, one in Narsingdi and two in Munshiganj. The other 14 zones will be established in phases at Mirersari, Moulvibazar, Mongla, Sirajganj, Sreepur, Sabrang, Keraniganj, Narayanganj, Bhola, Ashuganj, Panchagarh, Narsingdi, Manikganj, Kushtia and Nilphamari. Of them, Sreepur economic zone like Anwara economic zone will remain exclusive for the Japanese investors. The government plans to establish a total of 100 economic zones in the country by next 15 years. If implemented, the projects would create employment opportunities for about 10 million people and produce exportable goods worth around US$40 billion each year. Apart from Jamalpur economic zone, the Ecnec also approved the National Agricultural Technology Programme-2nd Phase (NATP-2) with an estimated outlay of Tk1,878 crore aiming to improve the overall socioeconomic conditions of farmers. The Planning Minister said: “Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC), Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), Department of Fisheries and Department of Livestock Services will jointly implement the project in 270 upazilas of 57 districts by September 2021.” The research activities under the project will be implemented through the participation of enlisted research organisations, universities and private organisations under the National Agricultural Research System through BARC. Kamal said over 28, 40,000 families of the farmers will be benefited from this project while it is also expected to help alleviate poverty once the project is implemented. With the implementation of the project, the minister stated that paddy production in the country was expected to rise by 10%, wheat production by 14% alongside raising the production of fisheries and livestock. The Ecnec meeting also gave nod to another project titled ‘Installation of some 70,000 overloaded distribution transformers under the operations of rural electrification’ with around Tk800 crore.

British prime minister David Cameron in a letter to his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina said that lifting the ban on Dhaka-London direct air cargo flights would depend on independent validation certificate on Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. The letter from the British prime minister was sent to Hasina on April 7 through diplomatic channel, an official concerned said. Mentioning the latest initiatives to strengthen the airport security, Cameron said that Bangladesh was addressing their observations regarding the airport security very fast, but the withdrawal of the ban would now depend on the independent validation certificate on the airport security, the official said. A senior civil aviation ministry official said that EU Independent aviation security validator Denis O’Sullivan, also and ICAO AVSEC manger at Business Change Consultancy based in United Kingdom, was already invited to visit Dhaka airport for renewal of ACC3 certificate. enis O’Sullivan is scheduled for April 28 to visit Dhaka airport, according to the official. The British authority banned direct air cargo flight on security ground from February 8. In the middle of March, Hasina wrote back to Cameron and requested a review of the ban. In reply to Cameron’s March 8 letter, Hasina also wished to work together with the British government on meeting all the global security requirements at Dhaka airport. The EU validator in March made his five-day inspection of the cargo village to complete his final security audit report. ‘After his inspection, Denis O’Sullivan made a number of observations to improve the situation…We have already followed the instructions to ensure sustainable improvement,’ the official said. Currently, the EU requires air carriers to be designated as ‘Air Cargo or Mail Carrier operating into the European Union from a third country airport’. Bangladesh received its last ACC3 validation on July 1 2014. The validations are issued after a successful EU Aviation Security Validation performed by an independent validator, accredited by an EU member state, said a civil aviation authority official. Following the ban, the government on March 21 signed a Tk 75.25 crore ‘unsolicited’ deal with British firm Redline for two years to impart training to the existing manpower and monitor screening at cargo and other places at the airport.