DHAKA, Nov 23, 2022 (BSS) - The second secretary-level meeting between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka on maritime cooperation will be held in Colombo within the quickest possible time to identify the possibilities and areas of cooperation in naval connectivity.
 
The information was revealed at a bilateral meeting between the two countries at the conference room of the Shipping Ministry at the Secretariat here, said a press release. 
 
State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury and visiting Sri Lankan Foreign Minister MUM Ali Sabry led the delegations of their respective sides at the meeting.
 
The meeting was apprised that Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are working together to increase naval connectivity and expand maritime cooperation by determining the scope of mutual cooperation.
 
Earlier, the first secretary-level meeting between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka on maritime cooperation was held in Dhaka in 2019. But, the second meeting has been delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
 
In the meeting, discussions were held on the Coastal Shipping Agreement between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for launching feeder services between Sri Lankan Shipping Corporation and Bangladesh Shipping Corporation.
 
Shipping Secretary Md Mostafa Kamal, Sri Lankan High Commissioner in Dhaka Professor Sadharshan Seneviratne were present at the meeting, among others. 

Earlier, the Sri Lankan foreign minister paid a courtesy call on the state minister for Shipping at the latter's office and discussed different bilateral issues.