Sri Lanka is keen to attract investment of Bangladeshi entrepreneurs in the tourism and agriculture sector to enhance foreign investment in the island state.  

Sri Lankan High Commissioner Sudharshan Seneviratne expressed the interest in a courtesy call on the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce & Industries (FBCCI) president Md. Jashim Uddin on Sunday.

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Speaking at the meeting at the FBCCI office, the envoy said his country is offering attractive incentives for foreign investors, including tax holidays. Bangladeshi entrepreneurs can benefit by investing in huge uncultivated land in Sri Lanka.

The Ambassador also sought Bangladesh's cooperation in the development of tourism and shipping.

He said the Colombo port now has four harbors and is equipped with more modern facilities.

In response, the FBCCI president Md. Jashim Uddin said a free trade agreement between the two countries would make it easier to increase bilateral trade and investment.

“Urging to increase regional trade, the President said that most of Bangladesh's trade is with the United States and the European Union. But it is more profitable to do business with neighboring countries,” he said.

Referring to the huge volume of trade in NAFTA and ASEAN, the President said that if SAFTA was implemented, the development of SAARC countries would have been accelerated, he said.

The FBCCI President also emphasized the importance of cooperation in the energy sector among the SAARC countries.

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During the meeting, FBCCI Director Priti Chakraborty called for joint initiatives on nursing training between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

FBCCI Vice President Habib Ullah Dawn, Director Shomi Kaiser, Dr. Nadia Binte Amin and Secretary General Mohammad Mahfuzul Hoque, among others, were present in the meeting.