Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN) - The leadership of SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry has unanimously adopted a resolution rejecting the proposal of cutting down SAARC business visa period from one year to three months.
It also demanded of the member countries to adopt a liberal visa regime framework at foreign ministers’ meeting scheduled for February 7-8 in Bhutan for promotion of business and trade in the region.
The resolution said SAARC interior ministers’ proposal to further curtail period of business visa under category 16 itself was against the fundamental principle of a liberal visa regime for businessmen and other categories to promote harmony and bring closer the people of the region.
SAARC Chamber demanded of the foreign ministers when they meet in Bhutan on February 8 for two-day consultations to deal with certain issues including agenda for liberal visa regime for SAARC member countries.
“Interestingly, one of the member countries moved a proposal to cut down business visa regime from one year to three months and in some cases even to one month. This proposal has irked all other SAARC states, the business community SAARC region in particular,” the SAARC chamber said.
SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry quickly moved to make the National Chambers of all the member countries aware that this proposal was against the basic spirit of liberalizing business environment in the wake of globalization and WATO regime of free trade.
SAARC CCI President Annisul Huq said tightening of business visa regime was not acceptable to the business community as it did not make any logic in the given international scenario when the world community was enjoying benefits of globalization.
Mr. Huq also said the foreign ministers at Bhutan conference should reject this proposal and take a bold step to ensure easy and quick visa regime as limiting visa period for businessmen would tantamount to waste of their money and time.
BBN/SI/AD-06Feb11-8:53 pm (BST)
