Dhaka, Nov. 5 -- All are set for signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on trade cooperation between Bangladesh and Japan which may culminate into a bilateral free-trade agreement (FTA) later on, officials say.

The MoU signing will take place during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Japan visit on November 29-30, they add.

Dhaka had long pursued a joint feasibility study to be made aiming to strike an FTA or a preferential trade agreement (PTA) to boost Bangladesh's export to the developed country of Asia.

However, Japan had been reluctant to advance the proposal since any such demand was not raised by its local business community.

"We will sign an MoU on trade cooperation with Japan this time," commerce secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh ...