Kathmandu, Nov. 12
President of Bangladesh Mohammad Abdul Hamid arrived in Kathmandu
on Tuesday on a four-day official goodwill visit.
President Bidya Devi Bhandari welcomed her Bangladeshi
counterpart at the VVIP Hall at the Tribhuvan International Airport in the
afternoon.
Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Raghubir
Mahaseth had welcomed President Hamid at the airport while panchakanyas
welcomed him by offering him flower bouquet.
A troop of Nepal Army had offered guard of honour to the
visiting president.
Similarly, live arts and culture from all seven provinces
were exhibited at the TIA while welcoming President Hamid.
Deputy Prime Minister
and Minister of Defence Ishwar Pokhrel, Minister for Home Affairs Ram Bahadur
Thapa ‘Badal’ and Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali had also
reached the airport to welcome the top-level guest from Bangladesh.
President Hamid visited Bhaktapur Durbar Square in the
afternoon on Tuesday. He directly flew to Bhaktapur in a chopper from the TIA. Mayor
of Bhaktapur Sunil Prajapati welcomed him at the Bhaktapur Durbar Square.
President Hamid observed the temples, historical heritages
and arts, including the 55-window palace, golden gate and five-storey temple with
high interest.
He also observed Devi Dance and Manka Dance as well. He
appreciated the heritage and Nepal's efforts to preserve them for the future
generations. Minister Mahaseth and Nepali Ambassador to Bangladesh Dr.
Banshidhar Mishra accompanied the VVIP guest in Bhaktapur.
The visiting President is scheduled to meet President
Bhandari on Wednesday afternoon at the Sheetal Niwas where they will hold
bilateral meeting and discuss on various bilateral issues. President Bhandari will
organise a banquet in honour of her guest. President Hamid is on the visit at
the invitation of President Bhandari.
President Hamid will be having a hectic schedule on
Wednesday as he will have separate courtesy meeting with Vice-President Nanda
Bahadur Pun, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Chairman of the National Assembly
Ganesh Prasad Timilsina on the same day.
Chairman of the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) Pushpa Kamal
Dahal ‘Prachanda’, president of the main opposition Nepali Congress Sher
Bahadur Deuba and senior leaders of the political parties will also call on
President Hamid on Wednesday. He will go to Chandragiri and Pokhara during his
entourage.
He is scheduled to return to Dhaka on Friday.
Bangladesh was the 26th largest trade partner of
Nepal in the last fiscal year 2018/19 with Rs. 4.24 billion import and Rs. 1.29
billion export.
Nepal has Rs. 2.94 billion trade deficits with Bangladesh.
The trade deficits seem growing this year as the deficit is Rs. 1.31 billion
just in the first three months of the current fiscal year. Nepal exported goods
worth Rs. 391 million to Bangladesh and imported goods of Rs. 1.7 billion
during the same period.
Trade between the two countries was promoted following the
opening of the Kankadbhitta-Phulbari-Banglabandh transit route in 1997, and
Nepal had trade surplus with Bangladesh till 2013/14.
Nepal and Bangladesh had singed a Trade and Payments
Agreements and a Transit Agreement in 1976. The latter has allowed Nepal to use
Khulna-Chalna and Chitagong ports and Biral, Banglabandh, Chilhati and Benapole
points at the Bangladesh-India border.
Nepal exports green vegetables, animal feed and herbals to
Bangladesh and imports garments and food items from Bangladesh. Bangladesh is
one of the major destinations for medical education for Nepali students while
Nepal is a destination for Bangladeshi tourists.
Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 13 November 2019.
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