US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visits Bangladesh; Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee visits Bangladesh; Foreign Minister Dipu Moni visits New Delhi; Sheikh Hasina for strengthening cooperation between the trade bodies of Bangladesh and Russia
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  • US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton came to Bangladesh on May 5, 2012 on two days official visit. Bilateral meeting was held between Foreign Minister Dipu Moni and Hillary Clinton at the PMO. During the discussion Secretary Clinton urged all political actors in Bangladesh to settle their differences through dialogue and plan for holding the next general election in a free, fair and credible manner. She expressed concern about the disappearance of BNP leader Ilias Ali and the killing of a labour leader, and called for thorough and independent probe into the incidents. On the Grameen Bank issue, Hillary said the Bangladesh government should allow the organisation to operate freely. On Bangladesh-US security dialogue held last month in Dhaka, she said both the sides had very positive discussions on bilateral defence cooperation and shared the values of peace and stability in the region. Dipu Moni said at the joint press briefing that Bangladesh sought duty free and quota free access of its products to the US market and extension of the GSP facilities. Later both the countries signed the “Joint Declaration on Bangladesh-US Dialogue on Partnership” to hold annual dialogue on bilateral relations and priorities in Dhaka and Washington DC by turns. 1

    Secretary Clinton later paid a courtesy call on PM Hasina at the Prime Minister's Office. During the meeting, the two leaders discussed various issues of bilateral interests including US investment in Bangladesh. 2

    In another Indian development, India’s Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee went to Bangladesh on May 6, 2012 on two days visit to attend the closing ceremony of the joint celebration programme marking the 150th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore. During his visit, he called on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Foreign Minister Dipu Moni and several other government leaders. The Indian minister also paid a courtesy call on BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia at her Gulshan office. 3

    Later, according to reports, Foreign Minister Dipu Moni flew to New Delhi on May 6, 2012 to co-chair the maiden Joint Consultative Commission meeting on May 7, in which the issues of Teesta water-sharing, extradition and implementation of land boundary accord are expected to be discussed. 4

    According to reports, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina underscored the need for strengthening cooperation between the trade bodies of Bangladesh and Russia for boosting bilateral trade and commerce. She expressed this view when Russian Ambassador to Bangladesh Alexander A Nikolaeb called on her at her office on May 3, 2012. 5

    In other developments, according to reports, the second border haat (weekly market) at Dolura in Sunamganj district opened on May 1, 2012 . Set on the zero line along the north-eastern state of Meghalaya in India, the haat occupies an area of 70-square metres and is expected to serve the villagers living inside five-kilometre radius on both sides of the border. Items like fish, chicken, chanachur, juice, betel leaf and betel nuts, and bamboo-made materials will be traded here. A buyer would be able to shop here worth up to $ 50 on each market day. 6

    Reports noted that Inward remittances to Bangladesh fell 2.43 percent to $1.08 billion in March, 2012 compared to a month ago, but the overall growth in the first ten months of the current fiscal year reached near 11 percent. During the period, more than $1 billion was remitted from abroad by Bangladeshi migrant workers every month, except September and November, according to data from the central bank. In March, 2012, remittances stood at $1.1 billion. 7

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