Dhaka: Bangladesh and Russia on Wednesday signed an agreement on establishment of an Intergovernmental Commission aimed at promoting broad-based cooperation in a variety of areas, including trade, economy, science and technology.

Russian Deputy Minister for Economic Development Alexey Gruzdev and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam signed the agreement on behalf of their respective sides at the ministry of foreign affairs, reports BSS.

Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali and Russian Ambassador to Bangladesh Alexander I. Ignatov and other senior officials of the ministry were present on the occasion.

‘With the signing of the agreement, cooperation in trade and other areas would be expanded and intensified,’ said Shahriar Alam after signing the accord.

The Intergovernmental Commission will identify the main directions for trade, economic, scientific and technical cooperation and priority areas of the two countries, officials said.

It (commission) will assist the organisations and business communities of the two countries in the development and diversification of mutual bilateral relations, the statement added.

The commission will also analyse the status of trade, economic, scientific and technical cooperation, define its most prospective directions, particularly in areas of agriculture, energy and power, and education.

It may identify other directions of cooperation, such as information and communication technologies, innovations, knowledge sharing and other areas.

According to the agreement, both the parties will appoint co-chairs, with deputies and executive secretaries to carry out the commission’s work.