Bangladesh, Sri Lanka sign 14 instruments

Bangladesh and Sri Lanka has signed 14 instruments, including one between Shipping Corporations of the two countries, Dhaka Tribune reported.

The signing ceremony was held at the Prime Minister’s Office after a bilateral meeting between Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday, reports the UNB. Confirming the matter, Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque said they have also agreed to sign Free Trade Agreement (FTA) within this year to boost trade cooperation.

Prior to the meeting, President Sirisena and Prime Minister Hasina had a tete-a-tete for a while around 10:15am. The Bangladeshi prime minister received the Sri Lankan president on his arrival at the PMO at 10am. President Sirisena arrived in Dhaka on a three-day state visit on Thursday, highlighting the growing ties between Dhaka and Colombo.

The MOUs as follows-
- MoU on Cooperation in Agriculture,

- MoU between Ceylon Shipping Corporation (CSC) and Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC),

- MoU between Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) and Lakshman Kadiragama Institute of International Relations and Strategic Studies (LKIIRSS) on cooperation in the field of international and strategic studies,

- MoU between University Grant Commissions of the two countries on Cooperation and Collaboration in the field of higher education,

- MoU between Bangladesh Foreign Service Academy (FSA) and Bandaranaike Diplomatic Training Institute (BIDTI),

- MoU between Central Bank of Sri Lanka and Bangladesh Bank for cooperation in financial sector/services,

- MoU between Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) and Board of Investment of Sri Lanka for cooperation on investment matters,

- MoU between Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) and Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI),MoU on cooperation in the fields of Information and Communication Technology,

- MoU on Information and Broadcasting between Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) and Sri Lankan National News Agency Lankapuvath Ltd.,

- MoU on cooperation in the fields of radio, film and television between Bangladesh and Sri LankA,

- MoU on collaboration between Chittagong BGMEA Institute of Fashion and Technology (CBIFT) and Sri Lanka Institute for Apparel and Textiles (SLITA),

- MoU on Economic Cooperation between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.