Belarus, Bangladesh to boost trade in coming years

Belarus and Bangladesh will boost bilateral trade in the coming years, Belarusian Prime Minister Mikhail Myasnikovich said Tuesday. "There are real opportunities to increase our bilateral trade many times in the next few years," Myasnikovich said at the Belarusian-Bangladesh Business Forum in Minsk. According to the official, the economies of Belarus and Bangladesh do not compete with each other but complement each other and create many opportunities for mutually beneficial projects. Bangladesh is a promising market for Belarus' potash fertilizers, chemical fibers, machinery and educational services, he added. The two countries are expected to sign nine cooperation agreements during the forum, covering the financial sector, nuclear energy, education and culture. From January to April of 2013, bilateral trade between Belarus and Bangladesh stood at 43.4 million U.S. dollars. Belarus' main export to Bangladesh was potash fertilizers, accounting for 99.7 percent of the total, while its major imports from Bangladesh were jute yarn, knitted and textile apparel and tobacco.