Bangladesh, Myanmar to sign deal on road link

DHAKA, Apr 25 (Reuters) Bangladesh and Myanmar have agreed to build a road linking the two countries to boost border trade, officials said today.

An agreement on the proposed 23-km road connecting Bangladesh's southeastern Gundhum area to Bolibazar in Myanmar is expected to be signed during the visit of foreign affairs adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury to Yangon beginning later today.

There is no road link between the neighbours at the moment, although there are two transit points on the border for trade and movement of people.

Bangladesh will pay for the construction of the entire stretch of the road, which officials hope, will eventually be extended to connect the two capitals.

Chowdhury is also expected to sign an agreement on avoidance of double taxation as part of the army-backed interim administration's moves to boost trade with Myanmar.

''If the problem of double taxation is eliminated, trade is likely to boost manifold from existing annual 60 million dollars between the two countries,'' a spokesman of the Bangladesh foreign ministry said.

The two sides will also discuss simplifying visa procedures for businessmen, cultural exchanges and the fate of thousands of refugees from Myanmar living in Bangladesh, officials said.

More than 20,000 Rohingya Muslims have been living in Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar district since 1992, after they fled Myanmar's western Arakan state to escape alleged military persecution.

Bangladesh and Myanmar share a 320-km border.

REUTERS ABM VV1445