UNB, Dhaka:

Pakistan High Commissioner to Bangladesh Syed Ahmed Maroof on Friday met BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

The bilateral issues, including trade and business between the two countries, and regional cooperation came up for discussion in the hour-long meeting held at the BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office.

BNP Standing Committee Member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury and Special Assistant to the BNP Chairperson’s Foreign Affairs Advisory Committee Member Shama Obaid were present at the meeting.

Briefing reporters about the outcomes of the meeting, Amir Khosru said they discussed the bilateral issues between the two countries.

“Everything between the two countries, including trade and business, and economic relations have come up for discussion,” he said

Amir Khosru said there was discussion for taking the bilateral ties forward, protecting the two countries’ independence and sovereignty, and upholding mutual respect and dignity.

“The issue of our regional cooperation in the entire South Asia was also discussed. The potentials between the two countries, particularly trade and business, economic prospects, were discussed,” he said.

The BNP leader said actually business-based on comparative advantage, which was missing in Bangladesh for a long time, was discussed.

He said there was a business of patronage here, which benefited some particular individuals in terms of the bilateral trade and business.

“There was no level playing field.  We have discussed that there is going to be a level playing field in Bangladesh and we will cooperate with each other on the basis of comparative advantage, maintaining the level playing field between the two countries,” he said.

Talking about regional cooperation, he said the issue of strengthening regional cooperation within South Asia was also discussed.

Noting that the South Asian region is the least integrative area, Amir Khosru said it needs to enhance the integration in this South Asian region not just in case of economic issues but in all aspects. “It has been discussed in detail how we can move forward,” he said.

“We want to move forward on the basis of BNP’s foreign policy –friendship with all.  We want to move forward with all kinds of economic cooperation amid good relations between the two countries,” he added

“We will take forward the bilateral and regional cooperation by maintaining the level playing field,” said Amir Khosru.