DHAKA, Jan 27: The visiting Pakistani minister for commerce, industry and production Abdul Razzak Dawood, who reached Dhaka, hoped that the trade transaction between Pakistan and Bangladesh would increase in course of time.

Mr Dawood is on a five-day tour to Bangladesh and leads a 29-member delegation representing a broad spectrum of business interests who will explore avenues for further expansion of the trade and economic relations with Bangladesh.

In a joint press briefing on Sunday afternoon at Bangladesh Secretariat along with his Bangladeshi counterpart Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Mr Dawood said, Pakistan has every sympathy for Bangladesh and efforts will be taken to reduce the trade gap that exists in favour of Pakistan.

Mr Dawood described his talks with Bangladesh commerce minister Amir Khasru Mahmood Chowdhury as “fruitful and mutually beneficial.”

He said, he was deeply impressed by the strong desire and the commitment on the part of Bangladesh government as to strengthen not only the economic and commercial ties but the overall relations in a big way.—APP