Reuters-Myanmar minister in Banglad

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Subject: Reuters-Myanmar minister in Bangladesh for shipping pact 

Myanmar minister in Bangladesh for shipping pact
06:37 a.m. Oct 03, 1999 Eastern
DHAKA, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Myanmar Commerce Minister Major-General Kyaw Than
arrived in Bangladesh on Sunday for a four-day visit during which he is
expected to sign an agreement on a coastal shipping service, commerce
ministry officials said.

They said Kywa Than would also examine in talks with Bangladeshi officials
the possibility of building a bridge over the Naf river that partly
demarcates the two countries.

``Myanmar and Bangladesh are expected to sign a deal on coastal shipping
service during the minister's visit. The two countries are also likely to
discuss the feasibility of constructing a bridge over the Naaf,'' Commerce
Secretary Syed Alamgir Faruque Chowdhury told Reuters.

He said the talks would focus on expanding trade.

Other officials said though the two countries formalised border trade
several years ago, the turnover remained low because more goods, including
rice, ceramics and cosmetics were being smuggled from both countries.

Chowdhury said Than was due to meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, besides
holding talks with his counterpart Tofael Ahmed.

Commerce ministry officials said bilateral trade volume of the two countries
was worth only about $10 million annually.

Relations have also been affected by delays in repatriating thousands of
Myanmar Moslem refugees from Bangladesh.

About 21,000 of more than 250,000 refugees, known as Rohingyas, who fled to
southeastern Bangladesh in early 1992 to escape alleged military persecution
in west Myanmar's Arakan provice, are still huddled in two camps in
Bangladesh.

Repatriation officials said Yangon showed little interest in taking the
remaining refugees back home, placing an economic burden on Bangladesh and
causing social friction among residents.