Although Bangladesh is an importer of fertilizers, the friendly country of Nepal is exporting 50,000 tons of urea fertilizer to that country in case of emergency. Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) under the Ministry of Industries has started the process on the instructions of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. As part of this, an agreement was signed between BCIC and Nepal Agricultural Ingredients Company (KSCL) on Thursday.
According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Industry, under the agreement, 50,000 metric tons of Kafco fertilizer will be imported from Bangladesh and exported to the Government of Nepal. 1 crore 29 lakh 18 thousand 750 US dollars equivalent to about 109 crore 74 lakh 47 thousand 812 rupees, Nepal is buying this fertilizer. The signing of the Fertilizer Cooperation Agreement marked the beginning of a new chapter in Nepal-Bangladesh cooperation in agriculture. Bilateral cooperation in the field of industry and trade will be further accelerated if the proposed Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) is signed with Nepal.
BCIC chairman (additional responsibility) in the agreement held at the Ministry of Industry. Amin ul Ahsan and Netra Bahadur Bhandari, managing director of KSCL, signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organizations. Industry Secretary KM Ali Azam and Nepal's Ambassador to Bangladesh Dr. Senior officials from the Ministry of Industries, BCIC and Karnafuli Fertilizer Company (Kafco), including Banshidhar Mishra, representatives from the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, Government of Nepal and KSCL were present.
Speaking on the occasion, the Industries Secretary said that considering the needs of the people of Nepal, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina directed for such cooperation. Although Bangladesh imports fertilizers to meet its own needs, friendly neighbor Nepal has extended a hand of friendship by signing an agreement to export fertilizers to Bangladesh in case of emergency.
Noting that Bangladesh attaches utmost importance to bilateral relations with Nepal, the Industries Secretary said both the countries would benefit from the new level of cooperation that has been added between the two countries through fertilizer cooperation.
In his speech, the Ambassador of Nepal expressed special gratitude to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina for her cooperation. Referring to Nepal and Bangladesh as true friends of each other, he said, "Nepal cooperated with Bangladesh in the great liberation war of Bangladesh. Again, Bangladesh has always stood by Nepal in any disaster." He said it was time to use the relations between the two countries for the welfare of the people.
