Bangladesh has called for the removal of land port-based restrictions and non-tariff barriers affecting its exports to India. It has also urged India to consider withdrawing anti-dumping duties on Bangladeshi jute products and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film, while maintaining existing tariff benefits after Bangladesh graduates from the least developed country (LDC) category.
These issues featured prominently on Bangladesh’s agenda at the 16th meeting of the Bangladesh-India Joint Working Group on Trade, held in New Delhi on Friday, October 9.
A 10-member Bangladeshi delegation, led by Ayesha Akter, additional secretary at the Ministry of Commerce, attended the meeting, according to a press release from the ministry.
The two-day meeting, which began on Thursday, is discussing ways to resolve bilateral trade barriers, improve land port capacity and make regional goods transportation more efficient. India has also included proposals to ease existing import and export restrictions and improve connectivity on its agenda.
Bangladesh has called for a review and possible withdrawal of existing restrictions on Bangladeshi goods exported through Indian land ports to protect the interests of domestic exporters. Discussions are also addressing tariff and non-tariff barriers, along with other trade-remedial measures, to facilitate access to the Indian market.
Another key issue is how Bangladesh can retain tariff benefits for its exports to India after graduating from the LDC category. Bangladesh has proposed considering the continuation of benefits it currently receives under the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) agreement beyond graduation.
The country has also emphasised the need to harmonise product standards, establish mutual recognition arrangements and simplify procedures for obtaining necessary certification from the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).
Expanding transportation opportunities is another priority for Bangladesh. The agenda includes increasing opportunities for freight trucks carrying goods from Bangladesh to travel through Indian territory to Nepal and Bhutan. Bangladesh has also proposed making the CEOs Forum more effective to strengthen direct communication and cooperation between business communities in the two countries.
To ensure smoother trade through land ports, Bangladesh has highlighted the need to upgrade infrastructure at India’s Land Customs Stations. Its proposals include improving entry points, parking yards, warehouses and sheds, as well as expanding facilities for product inspection and quarantine. Increasing the capacity of border land ports and speeding up cargo clearance are also key discussion points.
India’s agenda includes removing restrictions at designated land ports on exports of cotton yarn and other goods to Bangladesh. It has also raised the need to address obstacles to exports from its northeastern states to Bangladesh, improve regional connectivity and expand multimodal transport systems.
The meeting is also discussing ways to improve the efficiency of the Akhaura-Agartala link and related commercial routes, enhance Bangladesh-India rail connectivity and address issues concerning border haats. Both sides are placing emphasis on improving the efficiency of land ports, customs and border operations to reduce the time and cost involved in bilateral trade.
The geographical proximity of Bangladesh and India and their regional connectivity potential offer opportunities to expand trade. However, realising these opportunities will require removing market-access barriers and addressing restrictions on the transportation and clearance of goods at border points.
The joint working group’s discussions are expected to help advance these issues and pave the way for effective measures.
