Indo-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and industry to be launched on Sunday

New Delhi -- Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh will visit Dhaka on July 22 to attend the launch ceremony of the India-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Bangladesh President Dr. Iajuddin Ahmed will launch the Chamber aimed at providing a high-level forum for accelerating economic partnerships between the two countries.

During his visit, Jairam will meet prominent members of the business community, besides having separate meetings with Dr. Mirza Azizul Islam and Major General (Retired) M.A. Matin, the Adviser for Communications, Shipping, Civil Aviation and Tourism.

The issue of trade balance along with several other matters pertaining to trade and investment relations between the two countries are likely to figure in the discussions.

The Minister is also expected to take up proposals submitted by India for improving connectivity and access.

His visit is coming soon after the visit of the External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee to Dhaka on February 19 and the visit of Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon on June 25-26.

Jairam had last visited Dhaka in April last year to attend the first meeting of the SAFTA Ministerial Council. He inaugurated the first ever Bangladesh Single Country Fair in Agartala in March 2007.

The Minister has also taken special interest in developing projects to upgrade infrastructure at land custom stations along the India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal, Assam, Tripura and Meghalaya particularly at Petrapole in West Bengal through which about two-thirds of bilateral trade takes place. (ANI)