Bangladesh and Russia here yesterday inked two memorandums of understanding (MoUs) on news exchange and media cooperation with one being among Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) and ITAR-TASS.Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali witnessed the signing of both the agreements while Russia’s Minister for Telecommunication and Mass Communication Nikolai Nikiforov signed the first one on “cooperation in the field of mass communication” with Information Secretary Martuza Ahmed.BSS Chief News Editor Anisur Rahman and TASS’s Deputy Editor in Chief Marat Abulkhatin inked the other instrument witnessed by the two ministers and senior officials of the two governments.Both the developments took place at the Russian Mass Communication Ministry when Bangladesh Ambassador in Moscow Dr S. M. Saiful Hoque was also present.The first MoU sought enhanced cooperation of media of the two countries, agreeing to facilitate creation of favourable conditions for a broad and free dissemination of information.The BSS-TASS deal aimed to exchange news and explore areas of cooperation for the development of the two national news agencies in different professional areas.Ahead of the signing of the instruments, the Bangladesh foreign minister and the Russian information minister reviewed the bilateral relations and expected the MoUs to strengthen further the bilateral ties and create scope for people of the two countries to know each other in a more effective way.Later, Mahmood Ali and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov held a meeting at the Russian Foreign Ministry.The Bangladesh foreign minister, along with other bilateral issues, requested the Russian leaders for reviving Bengali Service of Radio Moscow.Ali is paying his first official visit to Moscow at the invitation of the Russian foreign minister.Information Secretary Martuza Ahmed while commenting on the MoUs signed between Bangladesh and Russia hoped that these instruments would enhance the close relations between the two nations through exchange of information on history, traditions, culture and current affairs.“Sharing of expertise in media, film and related sectors and bilateral visits of journalists and media delegates would open new gates of cooperation with Russia, the trusted friend of Bangladesh,” he said.The Bangladesh delegation led by the foreign minister arrived in Moscow on April 12 on a four-day visit to Russia and is scheduled to return home on April 15.Source: BSS