Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen will join Sri Lanka's 75th Independence Day celebrations in Colombo on February 4. He reached Colombo on Thursday, said an official, adding that he will have a number of meetings apart from joining the Independence Day programmes there. Sri Lankan State Minister of Defence Premitha Bandara Tennakoon received Foreign Minister Dr Momen upon his arrival in Colombo. The main ceremony of the National Independence Day celebrations will be held on February 4 at 8.30 am at Galle Face Green under the patronage of Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena. Earlier, Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has given out instructions to celebrate the 75th Independence Day “with pride at minimal cost” and with the new reformist programme for the next 25 years. Read More: Bangladesh's Nur Khan among winners of US' Global Human Rights Defender Award The Foreign Minister is likely to meet the Sri Lankan President and Prime Minister apart from his meeting with Sri Lankan Minister for Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry during his stay in Colombo. Nepal’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Bimala Rai Paudyal will also join the celebrations and is likely to have a meeting with Minister Momen. As part of the 75th Independence Day celebration, a number of programmes are scheduled to be held from February 2 to 19. Read More: Bangladesh playing a critical, life-saving role in responding to climate-related disasters: Gwyn Lewis “We must celebrate the 75th Independence Anniversary; otherwise, the world will say that we are not capable of even celebrating our independence. Similarly, we need to attract tourists and investors to our country. We need to build a positive image of our country. Therefore, let us minimize our expenditure and celebrate our Day of Independence,” Sri Lankan media quoted President Ranil Wickremesinghe as saying. Read More: Dhaka urges Riyadh to consider crude or refined oil on deferred payment basis.

Sri Lanka's state-owned Jaya Container Terminal at Colombo Port has offered priority berthing facilities to Bangladeshi feeder vessels. Chairman of Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA)  Prasantha Jayamanna has recently announced it at a discussion in Colombo, according to a message received here on Friday. He briefed Bangladesh about the present facilities as well as ongoing and future expansion plan of Colombo Port which would increase their container handling capacity to 15 million TEUs once completed in 2025-26. Bangladesh High Commission has been pursuing this priority berthing issue with SLPA for long, said the nessage from the mission. Bangladesh High Commission to Sri Lanka organized in Colombo a stakeholders’ consultation forum recently on enhancing shipping connectivity between Chattogram and Colombo Ports pursuant to observance of the First Economic Diplomacy Week. The purpose was to facilitate greater understanding of operational issues between Chattogram and Colombo Ports and ensure greater connectivity and supply chain security and stronger partnership between the two ports. Representatives from port authorities of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, terminal operators, main line operators, feeder operators, freight forwarders as well as users of the two ports presented their respective perspectives. READ: Sri Lanka offers greater use of Colombo port by Bangladesh Bangladesh High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Tareq Md Ariful Islam shared Bangladesh’s remarkable economic developments and the potential it holds for Colombo Port. He also mentioned of the changes in the global logistics operations due to the pandemic and now the war, the resultant trends in shipping and necessity of offer of possible incentives from Colombo Port. The Chairman of SLPA, private terminal operators and Sri Lankan shipping community assured of giving continued priority to Bangladesh users, according to Bangladesh High Commission in Colombo. Referring to the recent negative media reporting on Colombo Port, they clarified that that their Port’s operation remains unaffected by the crisis situation in the country. Both sides emphasized the importance of real time communication among all the stakeholders of the two countries. Representative of Chattogram Port Authority shared that Bangladesh’s container traffic through Colombo Port has increased significantly last year. Representatives of Bangladesh stakeholders shared the users’ perspective about Colombo Port, emerging trends and challenges in shipping operations. In the interactive session that followed, the panelists from both sides responded to the queries from the participants which cleared many of the issues involving Chattogram-Colombo connectivity. It was physically attended by senior representatives from the Sri Lankan shipping community. From Bangladesh side, Senior Executive Director of Karnaphuli Group and HR Lines Anis Ud Dowla, Head of Operation and Marketing of Mohammadi Group and Country Head of DSV Logistics joined through zoomlink.

Leaders of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) on Wednesday signed the BIMSTEC Charter at the 5th Summit held in Sri Lankan capital city placing the organization’s activities on a more structured and rule based platform. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi joined the Summit, hosted by current BIMSTEC chair Sri Lanka in virtual mode, from Dhaka and New Delhi respectively with other BIMSTEC leaders from Bhutan, Nepal, Thailand and Myanmar. BIMSTEC Convention on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters was signed by Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and the nominated signatories of the BIMSTEC Member States.  Memorandum of Association (MoA) on the Establishment of BIMSTEC Technology Transfer Facility (TTF) in Colombo, Sri Lanka was signed by Dr Momen, Ministers of Foreign Affairs and the nominated signatories of the BIMSTEC Member States. Read: Strong Bangladesh contributes to NE India's development: Junior Foreign Minister of India

Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have laid emphasis on early conclusion of the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) with a hope that it will “widen” the bilateral trade significantly between the two South Asian countries. Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen and his Sri Lankan counterpart Prof. G.L Peiris had a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the 18th BIMSTEC ministerial meeting in Colombo on Tuesday. Read:Dhaka undecided on Colombo's request for another $250m loan: Momen They discussed areas of cooperation including diversification and expansion of the export basket. The negotiations over the PTA are at an advanced stage, said Secretary (East) Mashfee Binte Shams, who attended the meeting.  Rector of Bangladesh Foreign Service Academy Asad Alam Siam and High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Sri Lanka Tareq Md Ariful Islam were also present. The Sri Lankan foreign minister highly commended the great leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her policy against terrorism and violent extremism. Foreign minister Momen stressed on initiating regular commercial shipping lines and cruise shipping for enhancement of trade and people to people contacts. He also pointed out that the high price of air tickets is creating barriers to promoting tourism between the two countries. The Sri Lankan foreign minister emphasized and echoed the position of Bangladesh leadership for better utilisation of Colombo port for transportation of Bangladeshi goods for the benefit of both the sides. Read:Dhaka, Kathmandu eye broader cooperation in key areas Both the foreign ministers agreed to work together in various regional and multilateral fora for common benefits. Momen thanked his Sri Lankan counterpart for the warm hospitality and congratulated for hosting the BIMSTEC Summit preceded by the ministerial meeting and the senior officials meeting. The Sri Lankan foreign minister recalled his visit to Dhaka last year in November and his meeting with prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

Bangladesh is looking into cash-strapped Sri Lanka’s request for another loan of $250 million but no decision has been made yet, said Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen here on Tuesday. “They’ve made another approach and we’ll look into it. It’ll be another loan but it’s not decided yet,” he said while responding to a question on the island nation’s deepening financial crisis on the sidelines of the 18th BIMSTEC ministerial meeting. Read:Dhaka, Colombo for early conclusion of PTA to boost trade Regarding the global uncertainty, he said it is not clear how things will work out (after the current situation in Ukraine) and mentioned that Bangladesh mostly depends on imported energy. “So, we’re watching it and seeing how we can help each other.” Momen said when Sri Lanka faced difficulties Bangladesh, for the first time, went for a $250 million currency swap. “Sri Lanka is still finding difficulties. So, we extended the time for the repayment.” It was the first-ever loan to any country from Bangladesh under the currency swap agreement inked by the BB and the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) on August 3 last year. The island nation’s debt load is apparently becoming increasingly difficult to manage as it also struggles to pay for imports of fuel and other necessities, leading to power cuts and other shortages. Read:3rd Bangladesh, South Korea FOC to be held in Dhaka The South Asian country of 22 million people is struggling to pay for essential imports after a 70% drop in foreign exchange reserves in two years. Sri Lanka has also sought an additional credit line from India to import essentials.

The Bangladesh High Commission in Colombo has commemorated the historic March 7 speech of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. High Commissioner Tareq Md Ariful Islam ceremonially hoisted the national flag at the chancery Monday. The high commission officials then placed a floral wreath at the portrait of Bangabandhu and offered special prayers for him, his martyred family members and the continued prosperity of Bangladesh. READ: PM releases postage stamp marking historic March 7 The messages of the president and the prime minister were also read out.

Bangladesh and Sri Lanka on Monday emphasized the importance of expeditious conclusion of the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) and enhancement of trade and commerce between the two countries.  The two countries also underscored the need for further strengthening air and maritime connectivity for the greater benefits of the two nations.  The issues were discussed when Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Prof Gamini Lakshman Peiris met his Bangladesh counterpart Dr AK Abdul Momen at State Guest House Padma. The two sides stressed further cooperation in the sectors like trade and commerce, investment, tourism, connectivity, agriculture, fisheries, education, and people-to-people contact.   Read: Border killings unfortunate for Bangladesh; shameful for India: FM Dr Momen congratulated the newly appointed Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka and thanked him for attending the 21st meeting of the IORA Council of Ministers’ (COM) physically despite the global Covid-19 related health concerns.  He also stated that Bangladesh attaches high importance to its relations with Sri Lanka which, he termed excellent, based on the historical linkages, friendship, and commonalities of views and shared vision of prosperity.  Recalling the state visit of Mahinda Rajapaksa, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka to Dhaka on 19–20 March 2021 on the occasion of birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the Golden Jubilee of the Independence of Bangladesh, he noted that it contributed towards strengthening the ties of the two countries. The Sri Lankan Foreign Minister expressed his happiness for meeting the Foreign Minister of Bangladesh.  He recalled the recent meeting of Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on the sidelines of the World Leaders’ Summit of CoP-26 and said the leadership of Sri Lanka highly appreciated the recent economic development of Bangladesh. He reiterated the importance of close relations between the two neighbours.  The Sri Lankan Foreign Minister sought collaboration on the area of e-commerce, involvement in the digital sector through sharing of Bangladesh’s expertise.  Dr Momen particularly mentioned Bangladesh’s success in the pharmaceutical sector and urged his Sri Lankan counterpart to import pharmaceuticals products from Bangladesh. Both the ministers noted the ongoing cooperation under IORA, maritime cooperation, maritime security, blue economy, climate change and prevention of over exploitation of marine resources.  Read: France firmly with Bangladesh over Rohingya issue: FM Momen They also pledged to explore the possible collaboration between Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Maritime University of Bangladesh and National Institute of Oceanographic Marine Sciences of Sri Lanka. The meeting ended with a positive note in a cordial atmosphere. The Sri Lankan Foreign Minister is on a three-day visit to Bangladesh and will attend the 21st meeting of the IORA Council of Ministers’ (COM) which is scheduled to be held on Wednesday. 

Recognising the threats to pluralistic societies arising from terrorism, violent extremism and radicalisation, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have pledged to work together to counteract such challenges in both the countries, the region and beyond. 

Bangladesh and Sri Lanka has agreed to sign a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) allowing duty-free access to a range of goods between the two countries and thus boost bilateral trade further.

Bangladesh and Sri Lanka on Saturday agreed to deepen their cooperation in various sectors, especially exploring newer avenues in trade and commerce, as the bilateral trade of the two countries are far less than its potential. The consensus came at the official bilateral talks between the Prime Ministers of the two countries held at the Prime Minister’s Office here where the two leaders led their respective sides. PM’s press secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters after the meeting.