174 বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ তৃতীয় পত্র (b) Diplomatic Drive abroad: (i) Delegation to the United Nations; (ii) Delegation to Afganisthan, Syria and Lebanan : (iii) Delegation to Nepal; and, (iv) Delegation to Ceylon, Burmah and other South-East Asian countries. Good results achieved in some of the above mentioned countries. (c) Intensive lobbying by Bangladesh nationals and sympathisers in the UK, USA, France, Sweeden, Japan and a few other countries. Very favourable press coverage have been received in these countries. Funds have been collected abroad. (d) Defection of Pakistani Diplomats-Ambassadors to Iraq, Phillipines and Argentina and switched allegiance. High-ranking Diplomats in London, Washington, New York, Kathmandu and Hongkong have declared their allegiance to the Government (apart from Calcutta and Delhi). (e) Civil Service Officials under training abroad (seven in the USA and two in the Uk) have also offered their services. (0 External publicity has also been organised. 3. Ministry of Finance, Trade & Commerce: The Secretary, Finance, is submitting his report separately. This Ministry has taken over and collected monetary resources brought over from Bangladesh. It has also prepared budgets and has been, by and large responsible for making payments to the various agencies and persons under different accounts. It has also introduced some sort of financial discipline. It has of late started collecting revenues on account of payments made to Bangladesh Government employees and agencies. According to a Cabinet decision the Government have instituted an enquiry Commission to look into the. Trade and Commerce: A Board of Trade & Commerce has been organised as an autonomous body. This Board has already explored various possibilities of exporting Bangladesh commodities abroad not only as a source of income, but also as a measure of economic viability of Bangladesh. The Ministry of Finance, Trade & Commerce and the Board of Trade & Commerce have jointly held negotiation with the Government of India and the State Trading Corporation of India to work out the possible details of a Trade Agreement with India. They have also discussed the various facts of arranging transit facilities for the export and import of Bangladesh through India till such time the ports of Chittagong and Chalna could be used. Considerable progress has been made in these negotiations. At the moment there is no Secretary for Trade and Commerce Department. The Finance Secretary is looking after it.
