Dhaka: Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, having close partnership with India and China, can explore huge trade potential in the region for mutual benefit going beyond ‘traditional economic thinking’, said the Sri Lankan envoy in Dhaka on Thursday.

‘We’ve close partnership with two major economies — India and China.  So, there’re huge opportunities for our development,’ Sri Lankan High Commissioner Yasoja Gunasekera told diplomatic correspondents at DCAB Talk at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU).

Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh (DCAB) arranged the event at Sagar-Runi auditorium with its president Masud Karim in the chair. DCAB general secretary Bashir Ahmed also spoke on the occasion, reported UNB.

The diplomat said Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have nothing to trade with each other if they look at traditional economic thinking.

‘That’s not the key. We’ve huge potential (considering regional production chain). We can have products making together and more joint productions for mutual benefit,’ Gunasekera said.

The South Asian country also invited Bangladeshi top companies for investment in Sri Lanka in an effort to boost trade ties between the two countries.

‘Sri Lanka would like to invite top Bangladesh companies to invest in Sri Lanka as Sri Lankan companies have already invested more than US$ 300 million in Bangladesh,’ said the Sri Lankan diplomat.

She said two countries have identified several areas of focused cooperation, including trade, investment, tourism, agriculture, education, culture, defence, health, air, sea connectivity and human resources development. ‘Both of our leaderships have identified opportunities and challenges.’

Gunasekera said Sri Lanka is a partner in Bangladesh’s development in strategic sectors of the economy such as banking, power and RMG sectors. ‘I’ll work towards achieving expansion of our bilateral economic ties for mutual benefit.’

She said a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two countries is being discussed. Relevant authorities of both the countries are currently in the process of studying the feasibility of such a framework that would be mutually beneficial.’

The diplomat said the two countries are also looking at the potential for maritime connectivity including linkage between ports in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Responding to a question about not allowing 16 Sri Lankan cricketers to play BPL in Bangladesh, she said she is not sure of whether the problem is resolved but expressed her hope to see a solution to that.

Responding to another question on Nepal’s adoption of new Constitution, she said that was very important development and Sri Lanka has welcomed this. ‘At the end of the day, we’re a family in South Asia. We’ve so much in common.’

She also said Sri Lanka has a policy of not interfering into anybody’ s internal matter but they believe in working how they can maximize the regional cooperation. ‘We actively work on it with Bangladesh.’

Terming Sri Lanka’s relations with Bangladesh like a family, the diplomat said they will work all countries in the world.

‘We’ll have a particular interest in working in partnership with friends like Bangladesh in Asia and our immediate neighborhood, the Bay of Bengal to mutually beneficial economic cooperation,’ she added.

Later, the Sri Lankan High Commissioner, along with DCAB leaders, unveiled the annual publication of the DCAB - Beyond the Boundary.