Sri Lanka aims to boost investment in Bangladesh: Khalid

State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury said that Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are working to come closer with maritime sector.

He also said that Sri Lankan businessmen want to increase investment in Bangladesh.

"They are interested in investing in Payra port. It is not a political matter, but for the two countries to move forward, there is  a discussion going on of making a coastal shipping or coastal navigation agreement," the state minister added. 

State Minister for Shipping Khalid came up with this in front of journalists after the bilateral meeting held between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in the secretariat meeting room of the ministry on Friday. 

In the meeting, Khalid and Sri Lankan Minister of Ports, Shipping and Aviation Nimal Siripala de Silva led for their respective countries.

Khalid said, "Due to the global crisis including the COVID pandemic, many discussions between the two countries had stalled. A meeting at the secretary level of the two countries was supposed to take place last February. That meeting did not take place due to some problems in Sri Lanka. The next Secretary level meeting will be held in Colombo; we can finalize the maritime sector issues there."

Appreciating Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's leadership, Sri Lankan Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said, "Sheikh Hasina is leading South Asia and not only Bangladesh. We will go further under her leadership. Discussions have been held to increase shipping between Chittagong and Colombo ports."

Stating that Sri Lankan businessmen's investment in Bangladesh is also increasing, this Sri Lankan minister said that Sri Lanka has invested 4.5 billion US dollars in various sectors of Bangladesh, including the garment sector. As the political situation in Bangladesh is stable, Sri Lankan businessmen are keen to invest more. This has increased their trust and confidence in Bangladesh.

Among others, the Secretary of the Ministry of Shipping Md Mustafa Kamal, Deputy Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka Tharaka Balasuriya, Chittagong Port Chairman Rear Admiral M Sohail, High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to Bangladesh Professor Sudarshan Seneviratne were present. 

The Sri Lankan delegation has come to attend the 6th Indian Ocean Conference of regional countries which scheduled to be held in Dhaka from Friday.