Russia to help Bangladesh grow agri, fisheries sectors.

Russia has expressed its interest to help Bangladesh develop its agriculture and fisheries sectors, reports UNB.

The interest was conveyed during a meeting of the Bangladesh-Russia Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation held recently in Moscow, according to official sources.

A 16-memberBangladeshdelegation, led by then ERD Secretary Kazi Shofiqul Azam, attended the commission's first-ever meeting since its inception on March 1 in 2017 while some 20 officials from Russian joined the session.

After the meeting, the sources said, a protocol was signed between the two sides where a six-point agenda was included for the cooperation in the agriculture and fisheries sectors. Referring to the protocol, the officials said the two sides agreed to continue work on increasing volume and broadening nomenclature of bilateral agricultural trade.

At the meeting, the Russian side expressed the interest that its Federal Service for Veterinary Phytosanitary Surveillance wants to share requirements for import of livestock products to Bangladesh. Both sides, sources said, expressed mutual interest in cooperation between the Federal Service for Veterinary Phytosanitary Surveillance and relevant service of Bangladesh in the field of quality control of fish products.

They also expressed their eagerness to intensify the bilateral interaction in the field of agricultural education and training, as well as research and development.

At the meeting, the Bangladesh side called for enhanced cooperation from the Federal Service for Veterinary Phytosanitary Surveillance in conducting periodical inspections of shrimp farming companies.

The Bangladesh delegation showed eagerness to share information on trade and marine fisheries and proposed to the Russian side to explore the possibility of expanding scientific, technical and logistic cooperation in this regard, said the sources who attended the commission meeting.