Sirisena leaves Dhaka ending 3-day state visit

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena left Dhaka for Colombo this afternoon wrapping up a three-day state visit to Bangladesh, reports BSS.

Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali and senior foreign ministry officials saw the Sri Lankan President off at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at around 1.00 pm.

Prior to his departure, Sirisena attended 'Bangladesh-Sri Lanka Investment and Business Dialogue: Moving Towards Greater Economic Partnership' jointly organized by the Foreign Ministry, Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) and Metropolitan Chambers of Commerce and Industries (MCCI) at a city hotel.

Bangladesh business leaders and the visiting Sri Lankan trade delegation joined the interactive dialogue where they discussed about the ways and means for enhanced bilateral trade ties.

Addressing the gathering, Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali said Sri Lankan President's Bangladesh visit would usher a new horizon in bilateral relations particularly with the signing of Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

“The agreement will take Bangladesh-Sri Lanka relations forward opening up new areas of trade and business,” he said.

Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Ravi Karunanayake described the FTA as an instrument to ensure “win-win situation” for the two countries as it would draw each other's investments to their respective countries and expected it to enhance further trade cooperation between the two countries.

Principal Coordinator (SDGs Affairs) at the Prime Minister's Office M Abul Kalam Azad, BIDA Executive Chairman Kazi M Aminul Islam, FBCCI President M Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin, MCCI President Nihad Kabir, former MCCI President Syed Nasim Manzur and Laugfs Holdings Ltd Chairman WKH Wegapitiya, among others, spoke at the business dialogue.

This was Sirisena's maiden visit to Bangladesh since he was elected Sri Lankan President in 2015. Earlier, he visited Bangladesh in 2013 and 2014 as Sri Lankan Health Minister.

During his three-day Dhaka tour, 14 instruments were signed mainly in business sector between the two countries. The Sri Lankan President began his visit on Thursday by paying tributes to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman offering wreaths on his portrait at Banagabndhu Museum in the city and placing wreaths at the National Memorial as a mark of respect to 1971 Liberation War martyrs.

He held official talks with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday morning and met President Abdul Hamid in the evening when Bangabhaban hosted a state banquet in his honour.

Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Raushon Ershad and Health Minister Mohammed Nasim called on the Sri Lankan president at his hotel suite.