Myanmar is keen to set up a special economic zone for fishery products in its Rakhine state bordering Bangladesh to cater to the needs of Bangladeshi importers and consumers. Bangladeshi investors can invest in the zone or engage in contract farming with their Myanmar counterparts. The issue was raised when a seven-member Bangladeshi delegation visited the neighbouring nation to see its fisheries infrastructure.

The delegation visited processing plants, fish and shrimp farms, fishery inspection and quality control laboratories and fish landing facilities on May 2-4. The Bangladesh officials discussed ways and means to explore new windows of cooperation in the fisheries sector. Both sides agreed on expert level consultations to carry out detailed feasibility studies before setting up such a special economic zone that will need huge investment.

Myanmar annually exports non-shrimp fishery products such as carp variety of fish totalling more than 23,000 tonnes to Bangladesh. Chairman of the Bangladesh Shrimp and Fish Foundation Syed Mahmudul Huq led the delegation