DHAKA: Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus today urged Brazil to work more closely with Bangladesh for increasing bilateral cooperation in different fields, including trade. The Chief Adviser made the call when Brazilian Ambassador to Bangladesh Paulo Feres called on him at his office in Tajgaon here. According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Ambassador Feres highlighted the unexplored areas of cooperation between Brazil and Bangladesh, suggesting that these could be beneficial for both countries. "We have 2.6 billion dollars of trade now in our favour. We want to make it balanced by increasing imports from Bangladesh," he stated. Currently, Brazil exports sugar, soya beans, and raw cotton, among other items, to Bangladesh and imports garment items from the country, with trade amounting to approximately 300 million dollars annually. Ambassador Feres proposed that Brazil could also export meat to Bangladesh, which he believes would not affect the local market and could serve as a valuable source of protei n for Bangladeshis. In addition to trade, Ambassador Feres identified green energy, education, defence, agriculture, and science as potential areas for strengthening cooperation. "Let's work together to explore more opportunities," the Chief Adviser responded to the envoy. Ambassador Feres also acknowledged Bangladesh's commitment to the Global Alliance to Poverty and Hunger, expressing Brazil's appreciation for Bangladesh being the first country to formalize the process of accession to the Alliance. Prof Yunus also invited Brazil to send a delegation to the upcoming youth festival in Bangladesh in January.
