Bangladesh-Thailand FOC to discuss on connectivity, trade and investment

Staff Reporter :
The 3rd Foreign Office Consultation (FOC) between Bangladesh and Thailand is going to be held in the capital on Tuesday, focusing on connectivity on road and water, trade, and repatriation of Rohingyas.
Foreign Ministry sources said that Bangladesh has been expressing its desire to join the India-Myanmar-Thailand Highway connectivity and through this FOC Bangladesh will seek Thai government’s cooperation in this regard.
Apart from this, Dhaka will also put forward the issue of starting coastal shipping between Dhaka and Bangkok.
Sources said as a friendly country, Dhaka will seek Thai government’s full cooperation to increase trade, connectivity, agriculture, investment, defence cooperation to prevent human trafficking, drug and smuggling. Masud Bin Momen, the Foreign Secretary, will lead the meeting on behalf of Bangladesh, while Sarun Charoensuwan, the Permanent Secretary of Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will lead on behalf of their country.
Bangladesh hopes to increase business and commerce with Thailand, and also seeks investment from their country.
About the transnational connectivity, an official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said if Bangladesh can join the transnational highway, it will open up a new horizon for communication and people to people connectivity will increase and trade and commerce will flourish.