Dhaka: Bangladesh and India have engaged in discussions aimed at removing trade barriers and enhancing bilateral commerce, with a focus on reopening closed border haats, fully operationalizing land ports, and easing restrictions on yarn imports via land routes. Commerce Minister Khanadkar Abdul Muktadir revealed that bilateral trade between the two nations currently stands at approximately $13 billion. However, trade activities have experienced a slowdown over the past year and a half due to several obstacles, as he briefed reporters following a meeting with Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi at the Secretariat.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the minister stated that the discussions centered around addressing these problems and finding ways to make trade relations between the two countries easier and more effective in the future. India is Bangladesh's second-largest trading partner after China, and the two countries share longstanding economic ties. A proposal was put forth to form a joint task force involving businesses from both nations to enhance cooperation.
The meeting also addressed the need for improving digital infrastructure as a means to create new investment opportunities, expand business ties, and accelerate bilateral trade. Muktadir expressed optimism that the Indian High Commissioner's initiative would strengthen Bangladesh-India relations and bring a new dimension to economic cooperation.
High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi emphasized that, despite some differences on political and economic issues, people in both countries aspire for development and progress. He highlighted the importance of collaboration, particularly for the benefit of the younger generation.
Trivedi underscored that Bangladesh and India are independent and sovereign nations, advocating for cooperation based on equality. He identified economic cooperation as a crucial area for enhancing bilateral relations, suggesting that stronger economic ties would facilitate collaboration in other sectors.
The conversation also touched on joint investment and production, with Trivedi acknowledging Bangladesh's remarkable success in the global readymade garment sector. He suggested that India could support this sector by supplying zippers, machinery, buttons, and other accessories, thereby increasing mutual interdependence. Trivedi expressed pride in seeing garments marked 'Made in Bangladesh' in international markets and asserted that Bangladesh's garment sector could expand further through joint initiatives between the two countries.