DHAKA: Despite critical political situation, the government made a number of deals and agreements in 2013. Some of those were lauded while some others harshly criticized.
Some major deals are given below:
Dhaka-Moscow deal: Russia, the second-largest weapons exporter country of the world, granted a $1 billion loan to Bangladesh for purchasing arms as a part of an array of agreements signed during Putin’s talks with the Premier Hasina in Moscow on January 15.
The two countries also settled on a project to jointly build Bangladesh’s first nuclear power plant and signed memorandums of understanding in various spheres, including anti-terrorism, justice, healthcare and education.
Russia will provide a separate $500 million loan to Bangladesh to help build its first nuclear power plant in Rooppur.
Sergei Kiriyenko, head of Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom said technical and environmental assessments would be carried out this year for the plant, which is to have two 1,000-megawatt reactors and be completed in the early 2020s.
Extradition and other deals with India:
1. Home Minister MK Alamgir and his Indian counterpart Sushil Kumar Sambhaji Rao Shinde signed two agreements—the extradition agreement and a revised travel agreement between Bangladesh and India on January 28.
The extradition treaty will facilitate the way for deportation and in getting back criminals.
The new visa pact, named Revised Travel Arrangement (RTA), will remove restrictions on visit of each other’s businessmen, students, patients, senior citizens above 65 years and children below 12 years.
According to the visa pact, businessmen will be given five-year multiple entry visa and those who want to travel for medical treatment will get two-year multiple entry visa which is extendable for another year. Visa will be given to three attendants of a patient.
Under the student visa, a person can avail one-year multiple entry travel document.
2. Besides, both the countries on April 11 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on implementation of Small Developmental Projects in Bangladesh.
The High Commissioner of India Pankaj Saran and Secretary, Economic Relations Division, Ministry of Finance Abul Kalam Azad signed the deal on behalf of their respective governments.
The MoU provides for the implementation of Small Developmental Projects through Indian grant assistance in Bangladesh through local bodies and educational and vocational institutions.
Project proposals in the areas of livelihood activity, education, health, or community development, not exceeding Tk 250 million, will be routed through the Ministry of Finance, Government of Bangladesh.
3. Besides, government on April 20 signed three agreements namely, Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), Implementation Agreement (IA) and Supplementary Joint Venture Agreement (SJVA) in connection with the Indo-banlga Friendship Power Company (Pvt) Limited (BIFPCL) of Rampal, Khulna.
The 1320 MW coal based power plant will add electricity to the National Grid by 2016. Cost of per unit electricity produced here will range between Tk 5 and TK 7.
Metro rail project deal with Japan: The government signed an agreement with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to implement the much-talked-about metro rail project in the capital on February 20.
Economic Relations Division (ERD) Secretary Abul Kalam Azad and Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Shiro Sadoshima signed the deal on behalf of their respective sides.
Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Company (DMTC), a state owned entity, would implement the project with an estimated cost of Tk 21,985 crore of which JICA will provide Tk 16,594 crore.
The 20.10-kilometer metro rail from Uttara to Motijheel would have 16 stations.
Credit deal with Japan: A credit deal of Tk 200 crore was signed between Bangladesh Government and Japan Government with a view to improving the country’s health sector at National Economic Council (NEC) auditorium in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in on March 13.
Joint Secretary on Economic Relations Division (ERD) Abul Monsur M Foyezullah and KSW Development Bank Country Director David Kunji signed the deal on behalf of their respective side.
The project will be implemented 2011-2016 for providing qualitative service in heath sector, boosting up family planning programme and ensuring nutritious among the people.
The agreement titled ‘Heath Population and Nutrition Sector Development’ is the biggest financial agreement in health sector ever in the country.
Germany helps health sector: KfW Development Bank, a Frankfurt based German government-owned development bank, provides Tk 201 crore (EUR 19.4 million) for the improvement of health services in Bangladesh.
A Financing Agreement was signed between the government of Bangladesh and the KfW Development Bank in this regard on March 13.
Abul Mansur Md. Faizullah, Joint Secretary Europe Wing, Economic Relations Division of Bangladesh and David Kunze, Director of KfW Office Dhaka signed the deal on behalf of their respective sides.
As per the agreement, the German funds will provide external assistance in the health sector, including maternal health, nutrition, reproductive health / family planning, control of non-communicable diseases and immunization.
Germany has a long history in providing assistance in the health sector of Bangladesh. More than 100 million EUR have been provided in order to covering the procurement of family planning commodities, rehabilitation of health facilities in rural districts as well as the supply of medical equipment since 1972.
Dhaka-Yangon flights resume: Bangladesh and Myanmar on August 29 signed an agreement to resume direct Dhaka-Yangon flights which were closed down 6 years ago.
Air Vice Marshal Mahmud Hossain, chairman of Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) and Win Swe Tun, deputy director of Myanmar Department of Civil Aviation, signed the agreement Thursday morning at CAAB headquarters in Dhaka.
Officials expect that the direct air link could be resumed by November.
TICFA: Bangladesh and United States of America signed the much-talked Trade and Investment Cooperation Framework Agreement (TICFA) on November 25.
The deal, which was signed in Washington DC, would help expand trade and investment between Bangladesh and the USA.
Acting Deputy Trade Representative of United States Wendy Cutler and Bangladesh Commerce Secretary Mahbub Ahmed signed TICFA on behalf of their respective sides.
Earlier on June 17 in 2013, cabinet approved the draft of TICFA.
Besides, Bangladesh signed a deal with Belarus on July 9 for tax-free and duty-free trade.
BDST: 1830 HRS. DEC 31, 2013
Edited By: Shameem Reza, Newsroom Editor / SM Salahuddin, Output Editor
