It is the first official friendship visit to Viet Nam by the top leader of the Bangladeshi Government since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1973. The visit will be an opportunity for the two countries' leaders to seek measures to increase bilateral ties, specifically economic and trade ties.

In November 1993, Bangladesh set up its Embassy in Ha Noi. Ten years later, Viet Nam reopened its Embassy in Dhaka after a period of interruption.

Multi-faceted co-operation between Viet Nam and Bangladesh has witnessed fruitful developments recently.

The two countries have exchanged high-level visits.

Vietnamese leaders who have visited Bangladesh include Foreign Minister Nguyen Manh Cam in September 1992 and May 1994, Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet in March 1997, Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien in July 2003, and President Tran Duc Luong in 2004. During President Tran Duc Luong's visit, the two countries agreed to resume the operation of their joint-governmental committee for economic, cultural, and scientific and technological co-operation and signed three documents covering economic and cultural co-operation.

Bangladesh sent to Viet Nam its Minister of Trade in September, 1996, the Foreign Minister in May 1999, and the Agriculture Minister in October 2003. Last July during an official visit to Viet Nam, Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Morshad Khan affirmed that Bangladesh regards Viet Nam as an important partner in Asia. He reaffirmed Bangladesh's support for Viet Nam's candidacy for non-permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council and for the country's bid to join the World Trade Organisation.

To date, the two countries have signed a host of cooperation accords and agreements. Promiment among these documents were agreements covering aviation transport; economic, scientific and technological cooperation; trade; culture; the establishment of a joint governmental committee for economic, scientific, technological cooperation; visa exemption for diplomats and state employees on working missions; and double taxation avoidance and anti-tax fraud.

Progress has been made in the two countries' economic and trade ties as their two-way trade jumped from 14 million USD in 2002 to 39.5 million USD in 2004. The two countries are striving to increase the trade value to 50 million USD this year.

Viet Nam's staples exported to Bangladesh include textiles and garments, electronics products, vegetables and fruits, pepper, rubber, footwear, fine art and handicraft articles. The country buys chemicals, materials for the making of garments and textiles, pharmaceutical products, leather, steel and iron and products for the manufacturing industries from Bangladesh.

So far, the two countries have not yet made any foreign direct investment in each other's countries.

Economists said the two countries' trade remains modest and inadequate as compared to their political ties, and it failed to explore the potentials and strengths of each country.

To improve the situation, in March 2004, the Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Viet Nam and Bangladesh established their ties and subsequently set up a business council to promote the exchange of information to help businessmen in the two countries.

On cultural and social affairs, the two countries signed a cultural exchange programme for the 2004-07 period in March 2004.

During an official visit to Viet Nam by State Minister in charge of Cultural Affairs Selima Raman in July 2004, the two countries agreed to increase their cultural and information cooperation. The cooperation will focus on the organisation of exhibitions of fine art and handicraft products and books, the exchange of visits by cultural experts and art troupes, and the promotion of ties between museums, libraries and publishers./.