DHAKA: Eight South Asian countries are likely to decide on doubling the number of SAARC visa-exemption stickers for the business category, as recommended earlier by the business and trade associations.  

“SAARC member-states are going to take decision to increase the bundle. The matter will be discussed at a high-level meeting of SAARC Immigration Authorities and Home Ministers in Islamabad on June 24-25,” an official of the Foreign Office told banglanews24.com.bd Sunday.

Some 100 businesspeople of the main trade bodies in each member-country now enjoy visa-free travels through the countries in the SAARC realm.

“The number will increase to at least 200 from 100,” the official said.

The visa-exemption scheme started in the regional grouping in 1992. Apart from the businessmen, journalists, eminent cultural activists and academics, MPs, ministers of each member-country are now getting this no-visa facility.  

Annisul Huq, President of the SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), also the President of FBCCI, also has stressed the need for increasing the number of no-visa stickers.

“Access should be widened to make it easier for businesspersons outside the ‘entitled persons list’ to avail benefits of visa exemptions,” Annisul Huq told banglanews24.com.bd over telephone.  

“We recommended special provisions for the private sector by facilitating endorsements or certification from national trade bodies and business associations,” Annisul Huq added.

The Foreign Office official also said, “We are now giving visa for only the members of the FBCCI and their recommended persons. But some other trade bodies are also important, like BGMEA, BKMEA, MCCI, DCCI and AmCham. Bangladesh is also playing a supporting role for increasing the number of visas for business persons.”

Annisul Huq said, “The SCCI proposed to the SAARC Secretariat to extend the validity of the sticker to three years from the date of issuance and withdraw restrictions on movement of the visa-holders in some specific cities.”

They have also mooted another proposal for the use of ‘built-in bar-coding’ or security chips for business travelers instead of the stickers for implementing the visa-exemption scheme to address the concerns about cross-border security.

“Raising visa scheme is not a problem for all SAARC countries. Only India and Pakistan are very cautious about the proposal though – ostensibly for their own security concerns,” the official claimed.   

The SAARC members are trying to impress the two countries on the urgent need to ease the mobility of business in order to bolster more private-sector integration in South Asia, he said.

“Finally, we may take decision to increase the number of visas within this year,” he added.

BDST: 1840 HRS. June 13, 2010
AKR/LY/MUA/MUA