Business body wants visa-on-arrival with China

As part of strengthening the relation between Bangladesh and China, the Bangladesh China Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCCI) has taken initiatives to sign a "visa-on-arrival" agreement with China for Bangladeshi businesspersons as well as diplomats and officials of the two countries.

Before the visit of Chinese president Xi Jinping to Bangladesh in October last year, the home ministry was trying to sign a draft agreement titled "Agreement on Mutual Exemption of Prior Entry Visa for Holders of Businessmen, Diplomatic and Official Passports". However, it was not signed eventually.

According to sources, the Chinese embassy in Bangladesh is allegedly complicating the process of getting visa for Bangladeshi travellers. Leaders of the BCCCI have now initiated a move to ease such complexities for Bangladeshis.

Al Mamun Mridha, joint secretary of the Bangladesh-China Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCCI), told The Independent that they would meet the Chinese ambassador in Bangladesh this week to resolve the issue and take steps to sign the proposed "visa-on-arrival" agreement between the two countries.

“A number of Bangladeshi businesspersons and tourists have complained that they are not getting visa from the Chinese embassy in Bangladesh,” he said.

“To resolve such visa-related complexities, the BCCCI will urge the Chinese ambassador to grant visa to Bangladeshi travellers after police verification. The Special Branch (SB) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police and the BCCCI may work jointly in this regard,” he added.

The BCCCI official said the Chinese authorities had been playing hardball to give Chinese visa to Bangladeshi travellers as many of them were fleeing to neighbouring countries from China through its 17 border points.   

Mridha also said Bangladesh would hold a "road show" in four provinces of China and arrange a "joint venture summit" in the country late this year to boost exports of Bangladeshi products to China.

Following the visit of Chinese president Xi Jinping to Bangladesh in October last year, the home ministry, in association with other ministries, has already finalised the draft "Agreement on Mutual Exemption of Prior Entry Visa for Holders of Businessmen, Diplomatic and Official Passports".

A senior official of the Security Service Division of the home ministry confirmed this. “Diplomats, businesspersons and tourists are likely to get the facility of visiting China

under the proposed arrangement after both parties sign the agreement,” he said.

The draft agreement says: “Nationals of both parties who are holders of special passports in China and businessmen of Bangladesh may enter the territory of the other party, without a visa and fees for a period of time continuous or several stays not exceeding 90 days, in six months from the first date of entry (sic).”

“The holders of businessmen, diplomatic and official passports, who are accredited in the territory of the other party, as well as their spouses and underage children who accompany them and live with them, may enter the territory of the other party, without a visa for a period of employment, provided that notice is given to the other party thirty days before arrival (sic),” it notes.

“Nationals of both parties, who are holders of passports, may extend the duration of their stay, after expiration of the period mentioned, after the approval of the competent authorities in the other party to extend the duration of their stay, in accordance with legal provisions in force in the country of the other party (sic),” the draft agreement adds.

Sources said the government was in communication with several countries, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Peru, Brazil, Burkina Faso, South Africa, Azerbaijan, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Albania, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, the UAE, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Colombia, Bahrain, Iraq and Japan, to sign agreements to get visa-on-arrival.

The government has already signed agreements with 29 countries for such visa.

 

Business body wants visa-on-arrival with China

As part of strengthening the relation between Bangladesh and China, the Bangladesh China Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCCI) has taken initiatives to sign a visa-on-arrival agreement with China for Bangladeshi businesspersons as well as diplomats and officials of the two countries. Before the visit of Chinese president Xi Jinping to Bangladesh in October last year, the home ministry was trying to sign a draft agreement titled Agreement on Mutual Exemption of Prior Entry Visa for Holders of Businessmen, Diplomatic and Official Passports. However, it was not signed eventually. According to sources, the Chinese embassy in Bangladesh is allegedly complicating the process of getting visa for Bangladeshi travellers. Leaders of the BCCCI have now initiated a move to ease such complexities for Bangladeshis. Al Mamun Mridha, joint secretary of the Bangladesh-China Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCCI), told The Independent that they would meet the Chinese ambassador in Bangladesh this week to resolve the issue and take steps to sign the proposed visa-on-arrival agreement between the two countries. A number of Bangladeshi businesspersons and tourists have complained that they are not getting visa from the Chinese embassy in Bangladesh, he said. To resolve such visa-related complexities, the BCCCI will urge the Chinese ambassador to grant visa to Bangladeshi travellers after police verification. The Special Branch (SB) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police and the BCCCI may work jointly in this regard, he added. The BCCCI official said the Chinese authorities had been playing hardball to give Chinese visa to Bangladeshi travellers as many of them were fleeing to neighbouring countries from China through its 17 border points. Mridha also said Bangladesh would hold a road show in four provinces of China and arrange a joint venture summit in the country late this year to boost exports of Bangladeshi products to China. Following the visit of Chinese president Xi Jinping to Bangladesh in October last year, the home ministry, in association with other ministries, has already finalised the draft Agreement on Mutual Exemption of Prior Entry Visa for Holders of Businessmen, Diplomatic and Official Passports. A senior official of the Security Service Division of the home ministry confirmed this. Diplomats, businesspersons and tourists are likely to get the facility of visiting China under the proposed arrangement after both parties sign the agreement, he said. The draft agreement says: Nationals of both parties who are holders of special passports in China and businessmen of Bangladesh may enter the territory of the other party, without a visa and fees for a period of time continuous or several stays not exceeding 90 days, in six months from the first date of entry (sic). The holders of businessmen, diplomatic and official passports, who are accredited in the territory of the other party, as well as their spouses and underage children who accompany them and live with them, may enter the territory of the other party, without a visa for a period of employment, provided that notice is given to the other party thirty days before arrival (sic), it notes. Nationals of both parties, who are holders of passports, may extend the duration of their stay, after expiration of the period mentioned, after the approval of the competent authorities in the other party to extend the duration of their stay, in accordance with legal provisions in force in the country of the other party (sic), the draft agreement adds. Sources said the government was in communication with several countries, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Peru, Brazil, Burkina Faso, South Africa, Azerbaijan, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Albania, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, the UAE, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Colombia, Bahrain, Iraq and Japan, to sign agreements to get visa-on-arrival. The government has already signed agreements with 29 countries for such visa.