Sri Lanka offers Bangladesh greater use of Colombo Port

[Black_cats]

Sri Lanka offers Bangladesh greater use of Colombo Port​

Source: Xinhua| 2022-03-30 22:33:00|

DHAKA, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka has offered greater use of the Colombo Port by Bangladesh for the country's export and import trade, according to the Bangladeshi foreign ministry.

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa made the offer on Wednesday when meeting with Bangladeshi Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen in Colombo. Momen is currently in Sri Lanka for the 18th BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) ministerial meeting.

"Sri Lankan President offered greater use of the Colombo Port by Bangladesh for transportation of Bangladeshi trade goods," Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

President Rajapaksa thanked Bangladesh for continued support in various multilateral fora and both sides agreed to closely work together in the future. The two sides also discussed the possible new areas for cooperation including food security, ICT, health care and blue economy.

Both sides also agreed to expedite and complete the negotiations and approval process of pending bilateral instruments for greater benefits of the two peoples, according to the ministry.

In this regard, they welcomed the progress made for an early conclusion of bilateral Preferential Trade Agreement for enhancing and facilitating trade between the two South Asian countries.

Momen also called for enhanced trade and tourism by commercial shipping and cruise shipping lines between Chattogram, Bangladesh's premier seaport, and the Colombo Port, said the foreign ministry.

On Wednesday, Rajapaksa also chaired the virtual 5th BIMSTEC summit while urging enhanced cooperation among the BIMSTEC member countries of India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand. ■

Sri Lanka offers Bangladesh greater use of Colombo Port

Sri Lanka offers Bangladesh greater use of Colombo Port-

www.xinhuanet.com

 

[bluesky]

Sri Lanka offers Bangladesh greater use of Colombo Port​

Source: Xinhua| 2022-03-30 22:33:00|

DHAKA, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka has offered greater use of the Colombo Port by Bangladesh for the country's export and import trade, according to the Bangladeshi foreign ministry.

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa made the offer on Wednesday when meeting with Bangladeshi Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen in Colombo. Momen is currently in Sri Lanka for the 18th BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) ministerial meeting.

"Sri Lankan President offered greater use of the Colombo Port by Bangladesh for transportation of Bangladeshi trade goods," Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

President Rajapaksa thanked Bangladesh for continued support in various multilateral fora and both sides agreed to closely work together in the future. The two sides also discussed the possible new areas for cooperation including food security, ICT, health care and blue economy.

Both sides also agreed to expedite and complete the negotiations and approval process of pending bilateral instruments for greater benefits of the two peoples, according to the ministry.

In this regard, they welcomed the progress made for an early conclusion of bilateral Preferential Trade Agreement for enhancing and facilitating trade between the two South Asian countries.

Momen also called for enhanced trade and tourism by commercial shipping and cruise shipping lines between Chattogram, Bangladesh's premier seaport, and the Colombo Port, said the foreign ministry.

On Wednesday, Rajapaksa also chaired the virtual 5th BIMSTEC summit while urging enhanced cooperation among the BIMSTEC member countries of India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand. ■

Sri Lanka offers Bangladesh greater use of Colombo Port

Sri Lanka offers Bangladesh greater use of Colombo Port-

www.xinhuanet.com

I am not very sure what this broader use of Colombo port means. BD regularly uses both Colombo and Singapore as the two transshipment points for its foreign trade whereby feeder smaller coasters carry goods to and from these two ports.

Now, is it that SL wants BD to use Colombo as almost its exclusive transshipment points? I think, unless it hampers our exports or imports, BD should more support the Colombo port because this will boost the SL income. SL is in a dire situation and needs all the help from us and other countries.

However, BD govt and politicians must learn lessons from the SL experience of borrowing on civil engineering projects that do not immediately pay back the money. At some point the prestige projects become liabilities instead of assets.