A new era in currency diversification for
external trade began today as Bangladesh and India started formally trading
in rupees which is expected to reduce transaction cost benefitting the sides,
observed Bangladesh Bank (BB).
“Through the new arrangement, another currency has come in our trade which
will save huge amount of transaction cost. There will be an impact in product
price. The new arrangement is likely to help increase the country’s export,”
said BB spokesperson Mezbaul Haque at a press conference at the central bank
headquarters in the city.
BB organised the press conference marking the launching for settlement of
Bangladesh and India bilateral trade through Indian rupee (INR) in the city’s
Le Méridien hotel.
BB Governor Abdur Rouf Talukder attended the event as the chief guest while
Senior Secretary of the Commerce Ministry Tapan Kanti Ghosh, Indian High
Commissioner in Dhaka Pranay Verma and Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of
Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) President Jashim Uddin, among others, were
present.
Two export letters of credit from Bangladesh’s two businesses– Tamim Agro
and Shahjahan Mia– involving a total of 28 million Indian rupee and two
import LCs involving 12 million Indian rupee by Nita Company and Abdul Matlub
Ahmad were handed over by four participating banks– Sonali Bank, Eastern
Bank of Bangladesh and India’s State Bank of India and ICIC Bank– at the
event.
At the press conference, Mezbaul Haque said bilateral trade of different
countries is being settled through such kind of arrangement.
They have introduced such kind of settlement for reducing their transaction
cost, he added.
Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha