Special Correspondent //

Bangladesh wants a solution to the issue of India’s ban on imports of some products, including garments, made through land ports, at a meeting of the commerce secretaries of both countries. The commerce ministry has taken this decision in a meeting with stakeholders. The commerce ministry has sent a letter to the Indian government in this regard. It has been sent through the foreign ministry.

Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman told reporters after an inter-ministerial meeting at the secretariat on Tuesday to decide what to do in the wake of the ban on the entry of goods into India through land ports.

He said, “No retaliatory action will be taken against India’s move. We will tell India that you will also be affected, let’s find a solution.”

Representatives of various departments including the Ministry of Shipping, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission, National Board of Revenue, Bangladesh Land Ports Authority, Export Promotion Bureau were present at the meeting. Besides, representatives of FBCCI, BGMEA, and India-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry were present as business representatives.

The Commerce Secretary further said, “Today we have sat with the relevant stakeholders on this issue, their views have been taken. Efforts will be made to ensure that the situation does not deteriorate further. The businessmen have given their views. We will discuss it with our policymakers and relevant advisors. We will not take any kind of retaliation program, they have done it. We will engage with them.” The Commerce Secretary mentioned such a ban as a loss for the businessmen of the two countries. He also mentioned the idea of ​​organizing a meeting at the secretary level between the two countries to resolve the problem.

When asked who is suffering the most from India’s move, the Secretary said, “Not only Bangladeshi businessmen have been affected, Indian businessmen will also be affected. So let us sit down and find a solution. We have a forum at the secretary level with India. We sent a letter last week for the meeting.” When we get a reply to that letter, we will know when we can sit down.’

Traders said that import-export trade with India is done through 16 of the country’s 24 ports. However, due to the ease of communication, 80 percent of trade is done through Benapole and India’s Petrapole ports. 250-300 trucks of various goods are exported to India through Benapole port every day. Out of which, more than a hundred trucks contain ready-made garments. However, in a notification on Saturday (May 17), the Indian government banned the import of ready-made garments, yarn, plastic, wooden furniture, and fruits and fruit-based products from Bangladesh through land ports. As a result, these products are stuck at Benapole port. Although there is an opportunity to export goods through India’s Navseva and Kolkata ports, traders’ interest in trade has decreased due to the difficult and expensive communication system with those ports.

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