November 15, 2003	Saturday	Ramazan 19, 1424

ISLAMABAD, Nov 14: Pakistan is likely to seek concessions on more than 400 items from Bangladesh under the proposed free trade agreement (FTA).

Official sources told Dawn on Friday that in this connection, a high level Pakistani technical delegation is leaving for Bangladesh on Saturday to initiate dialogue on the proposed agreement between the two countries.

During the two-day stay in Dhaka, the officials of the two countries would exchange the request lists for concession.

Pakistan would mostly seek more concession on export of textile products, pharmaceuticals products, leather products, agriculture food stuff, onion, mangoes, oranges, surgical instrument and sport goods.

According to the officials, the request list to be received from Bangladesh would be discussed with the relevant stakeholders before it was finalized.

The technical team would also discuss the framework agreement of the free trade, the officials said adding the sensitive items would also be discussed during the meeting.

The sensitive items, the officials said, would be placed in the negative list, which would not be offered for concession.

According to the officials, it was expected that the request lists along with sensitive items would be finalized by early January next year.

The officials said it was hoped that during the proposed visit of Bangladesh commerce minister in January 2004, the frame work of the proposed agreement would be signed.

The officials pinned hopes on the proposed treaty that it would result into increasing bilateral trade between the two brotherly countries.

Official statistics made available to Dawn showed that Pakistan’s trade surplus with Bangladesh has registered a constant growth during the last five years.

It was $87.315 million in the year 1998-1999; $90.957 million in 1999-2000; $100.214 million in 2000-01; $73.398 million in 2001-02 and $81.691 million in 2002-03.

Further analysis showed that Pakistan’s exports to Bangladesh stood at $114.356 million in 2002-03 against $101.138 million in the previous year, showing an increase of 13 per cent.

And imports from Bangladesh stood at $32.665 million in 2002-03 against $27.740 million in the previous year, showing an increase of 17.7 per cent.

Pakistan’s major exports to Bangladesh includes raw cotton; cotton yarn; cotton fabrics (woven); synthetic fabrics including silk and woollen and road vehicles and their parts. The major importable commodity from Bangladesh is raw jute.