Dhaka: Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed on Sunday said the upcoming city corporation elections would be an "exit point" for BNP to return to regular politics giving up the path of violence and sabotage.

‘BNP needs an exit point to come back to regular politics from the path of terrorism, militancy and sabotage, and elections of the city corporations have brought that opportunity for the party,’ he told newsmen at his secretariat office after a meeting with a seven-member Vietnamese delegation led by its Vice-Minister for Trade and Commerce Hoang Quoc Vuong.

The minister hoped that BNP would avail itself of the opportunity and take part in all the elections including the parliamentary elections due in 2019 under the present government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

About the meeting with the Vietnamese delegation, Tofail Ahmed said they have showed interest to invest in agricultural machinery manufacturing sector in Bangladesh.

He said Vietnam is also keen to import more pharmaceuticals from Bangladesh as these are popular in its market.

Now, Bangladesh has a trade gap of US$ 526.24 million with Vietnam, as its export volume was US$ 55.96 million in fiscal year 2013-14 against the import of US$ 682.20 million.

The commerce minister said there would not be any more trade gap with Vietnam if the export of pharmaceutical and other products increases.

Tofail Ahmed hoped initiatives would be taken to narrow the trade gap strengthening cooperation as well as increasing trade.

Senior Secretary Hedayetullah Al Mamun, Tariff Commission Chairman Dr M Azizur Rahman and Additional Secretary M Shawkat Ali Wareshi, among others, were present during the meeting.