BANGLADESH INDIA
Dhaka, Mar 13 After a break of nearly nine years the commerce secretaries of Bangladesh and India are scheduled to meet on Mar 28 in New Delhi to discuss issues hindering boost to bilateral trade ties.
"This is the first secretary-level meeting since 2003 and we expect to boost trade relations further through this meeting," director general of foreign ministry Mashfee Bintee Shams on Tuesday.
The Bangladesh delegation, led by commerce secretary Mohammad Golam Hossain, will draw 10 other members from foreign, jute, textile, shipping, and communications ministries, tax office, Tariff Commission and BSTI (Bangladesh Standard and Testing Institute).
The issues expected to come up for discussion include trade agreement renewal, opening new border haats, mutual accreditation, investment, development of land ports and land customs stations, and ensuring uninterrupted supply of raw materials and commodities to Bangladesh, said a source in the commerce ministry.
"We are dependent on raw materials and commodities from the neighbouring India. But time to time India slaps ban on commodities like cotton, onion, rice, etc. causing difficulties for us," he said.
"We will try to impress upon them to ensure uninterrupted supply," he added.
TRADE AGREEMENT
The trade agreement between the two countries will expire Mar 31 this year and renewal of the agreement would be one of the agendas, a commerce ministry official said.
India has proposed to extend the agreement for the next three years against a Bangladesh proposal that it could be extended for six months without any amendment to the existing one.
"Indian side also proposed to bring some amendments to the agreement but we declined as we need time to review the proposals," he added.
The amendment proposals include automatic renewal of the agreement, and any protocol or memorandum of understanding becoming an integral part of the pact, the officials said.
The Bangladesh-India trade agreement was signed in 1972 and it is renewed every three years.
BORDER HAATS
Bangladesh and India want to open five more border haats along Meghalaya-Tripura borders.
"The border haat at Sunamganj along Meghalaya border is ready and it will be inaugurated shortly," he said.
The first haat was opened at Kurigram-Meghalaya border last year.
Four border haats will be opened along Tripura border, officials said.
BILATERAL TRDE
The two-way trade between the two countries reached about $5 billion, though tilting heavily towards India. Bangladesh exported about $500 million worth of products while imports stood at $4 billion in the last fiscal.
Indian allowed duty- and quota-free access to all products except liquor and cigarette items from Bangladesh last year.
"This is the first secretary-level meeting since 2003 and we expect to boost trade relations further through this meeting," director general of foreign ministry Mashfee Bintee Shams on Tuesday.
The Bangladesh delegation, led by commerce secretary Mohammad Golam Hossain, will draw 10 other members from foreign, jute, textile, shipping, and communications ministries, tax office, Tariff Commission and BSTI (Bangladesh Standard and Testing Institute).
The issues expected to come up for discussion include trade agreement renewal, opening new border haats, mutual accreditation, investment, development of land ports and land customs stations, and ensuring uninterrupted supply of raw materials and commodities to Bangladesh, said a source in the commerce ministry.
"We are dependent on raw materials and commodities from the neighbouring India. But time to time India slaps ban on commodities like cotton, onion, rice, etc. causing difficulties for us," he said.
"We will try to impress upon them to ensure uninterrupted supply," he added.
TRADE AGREEMENT
The trade agreement between the two countries will expire Mar 31 this year and renewal of the agreement would be one of the agendas, a commerce ministry official said.
India has proposed to extend the agreement for the next three years against a Bangladesh proposal that it could be extended for six months without any amendment to the existing one.
"Indian side also proposed to bring some amendments to the agreement but we declined as we need time to review the proposals," he added.
The amendment proposals include automatic renewal of the agreement, and any protocol or memorandum of understanding becoming an integral part of the pact, the officials said.
The Bangladesh-India trade agreement was signed in 1972 and it is renewed every three years.
BORDER HAATS
Bangladesh and India want to open five more border haats along Meghalaya-Tripura borders.
"The border haat at Sunamganj along Meghalaya border is ready and it will be inaugurated shortly," he said.
The first haat was opened at Kurigram-Meghalaya border last year.
Four border haats will be opened along Tripura border, officials said.
BILATERAL TRDE
The two-way trade between the two countries reached about $5 billion, though tilting heavily towards India. Bangladesh exported about $500 million worth of products while imports stood at $4 billion in the last fiscal.
Indian allowed duty- and quota-free access to all products except liquor and cigarette items from Bangladesh last year.
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