An American Jewish organization celebrated the “first shipment” of food supplies from Pakistan that arrived in Israel. The trade last week included Pakistani-Jewish businessman Fishel BenKhald and three Israeli businesses, according to a statement issued by the American Jewish Congress from its New York offices, reports Voice of America. BenKhald resides in Karachi, where he manages a Jewish kosher certification business for food makers selling to international markets. Last Tuesday, he announced the unusual trade on Twitter, the VOA report said. The trader shared a video of his products, which included dates, dried fruit, and spices, on display in a Jerusalem market. The video has subsequently received over 640,000 views. Read More: India-Bangladesh trade using rupee instead of US dollar could start soon "I was not expecting it to be taken that big of a deal," BenKhald said in written comments to VOA, adding that this was not the first export of Pakistani products to Israel. "The Israeli government and buyers have no problem accepting the direct shipment from Pakistan,” he said, adding that Israel does not have a problem sending payments to Pakistani banks, said the report. BenKhald's attempt was largely lauded by Pakistani Twitter users, who included journalists, politicians, and businesses, some of whom sought his assistance on how to market their products to Israel. He tried to respond to every communication, it added. Pakistani officials did not immediately comment on the unusual exchange. Read More: Trade and investment opportunities opening up between Bangladesh, Brazil Islamabad has no diplomatic relations with Israel and refuses to recognize it as a sovereign state until the state of Palestine is created, a position shared by many Muslim-majority nations. Nevertheless, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain established ties with Israel in 2020 as part of the Abraham Accords, which were brokered by the United States. Sudan and Morocco followed suit. "Trade exhibits hosted by the UAE helped Pakistani and Israeli businessmen conclude a deal that enabled this week's Pakistani shipment to Israel," the American Jewish Congress noted. "We welcome this small step that can have wider implications for Israeli and Pakistani economies and for the region at large." Pakistan is a recognized nuclear power, while Israel is commonly believed to possess nuclear weapons. Since their foreign ministers met publicly in 2005, the two nations have had secret discussions on security matters. Pakistani Islamist organizations and right-wing parties are adamantly opposed to establishing formal relations with Israel over the Palestinian issue, the report also said. Read More: Traders fined in Faridpur for selling meat in violation of price list Pakistani people are barred from visiting Israel since their passport plainly states that they are valid for all nations except Israel.

A ship carrying material for Bangabandhu Rail Bridge arrived at Mongla Port, authorities said on Saturday. The Panama flag carrier, ‘MV Ever Champion’, carrying 1411 metric tonnes of material for the bridge arrived at the No. 8 jetty of the port around 11 am. Earlier, on March 7, another ship carrying material for Bangabandhu Rail Bridge arrived at Mongla Port from Vietnam. Shawkat Ali, operation manager of local shipping agent Haque and Sons Limited, said the ship anchored at Mongla Port in the morning and the work to unload the goods is underway. The materials will be sent to the Bangabandhu Bridge Railway Authority within two days. It is the 6th shipment carrying material for Bangabandhu Rail Bridge to arrive at the port. On March 5, a ship named ‘Hidong-9’ carrying 1556 metric tonnes of machineries of the bridge arrived at Mongla port. Also read: Group demands govt scrap Jamuna river ‘narrowing’ project On November 29 2020, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina laid the foundation stone of a 4.8km double-line dual-gauge Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Railway Bridge aimed at boosting rail communication between the capital and western zones of Bangladesh Railway. The main bridge will be constructed in two phases. Two separate agreements have already been signed with Obayashi-TOA-JFE, Japan and IHI-SMCC JV, Japan for eastern and western parts of civil works respectively.  

Three foreign ships,including a Russian flag carrier, importing machinery and goods for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) and Bangabandhu Rail Bridge have arrived at Mongla port. The unloading of the consignments from the ships has already started. The Panama flag carrier, MV QI XIA, carrying goods weighing 3,352 metric tonnes for the Bangabandhu Rail Bridge, docked at the port’s jetty-7 on Sunday morning, the Mongla Port Authority said. Another Panama flag carrier, LIBERTY HARVEST, carrying machinery weighing 4,716 metric tonnes for Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, docked at the port’s jetty-7 at the same time. The Russian flag carrier, MV KAMILLA, carrying goods weighing 3,633 metric tonnes for the power plant, docked at the port’s jetty-9 at noon. Md Kamruzzaman, shipping agent for the Liberty Harvest, said it will take four days to unload the consignment for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant. Also read: Fourth Russian shipment for Rooppur arrives at Mongla Port After unloading, the machinery from the ship will be taken by sea to Rooppur Power Plant, he added. A total of 14,475 packages weighing 4,716 metric tons of power plant machinery were transported by this ship. Sadhan Kumar Chakrabarty, local shipping agent of MV Kamilla, said that the ship transported a total of 5,506 packages of goods for the power plant. Most of the goods for the country's ongoing megaprojects are being imported through this port on a priority basis. Modern methods of unloading goods, a skilled workforce, and reduced time all contributed to the port's increased activity.  

Jashore farmers had been worrying at the sharp fall in cabbage price, but the recent initiative to export the winter vegetable to Singapore has brought smile to their faces.