MINSK, 23 April (BelTA) – Belarus-Bangladesh partnership, including a new contract on the delivery of $100 million worth of equipment to the South-Asian country, was discussed at a meeting between Chairman of the Council of the Republic Mikhail Myasnikovich and a delegation from Bangladesh led by Minister of Commerce Tipu Munshi on 22 April, BelTA learned from the press service of the upper house of parliament.
“We are welcoming a new contract worth $100 million. We are also in talks on another contract to the total amount of $17 million. These documents are undergoing interstate procedures,” Mikhail Myasnikovich noted. The contracts envisage the delivery of road construction, farming, and freight machinery. Belarus is ready to supply it via different finance schemes, including through the financial operator Promagroleasing, export financing of the Development Bank of Belarus and other options.
Mikhail Myasnikovich also suggested cooperation in the energy sector, including the construction of power lines and transformer substations. Bangladesh is implementing the corresponding program of infrastructure projects and Belarus is interested to take part in it. Belarus is also ready to offer Bangladesh its services in training specialists in nuclear security and physical protection of the nuclear power plant which is under construction in the country.
Mikhail Myasnikovich also named cooperation in the petrochemical complex as promising. Belarus produces competitive products, including synthetic fiber and thread.
The two countries have a huge untapped potential in developing partnership in science and education.
Belarus is interested in multipronged cooperation with Bangladesh. In 2018, the mutual trade increased by 18%, but we can do better, Mikhail Myasnikovich said. He expressed confidence that the current visit and the forthcoming first meeting of the Belarus-Bangladesh joint commission on trade and economic cooperation would add a new impetus to bilateral cooperation. “We need to intensify political contacts at the level of the heads of state and parliaments. We are interested in a visit of the Bangladesh president to Minsk. The relevant invitation has been sent,” the chairman of the Council of the Republic said. He also asked to convey warm greetings to the prime minister of Bangladesh.
In turn, the Bangladesh minister of commerce hailed an eventful program of the visit to Minsk. He expressed interest in discussing export-import relations, possible supplies of Belarusian goods, farming and construction machinery to Bangladesh.
Belarus' Deputy Industry Minister Dmitry Korchik told the media that Belarus had already implemented a contract on the supply of $50 million worth of Amkodor machinery to Bangladesh. Belarus also supplied small-scale tractor equipment to the country. The two countries are looking into the possibility of expanding cooperation, including through a tied loan. “This means service, an increased share of Belarusian equipment on the market of Bangladesh, training and other matters,” he said.
Photos by Gennady Zhinkov
