Diplomatic Correspondent :
Bangladesh government sent a note verbal to the Indian government asking to maintain commitment for keeping export of essential commodities unhindered.
The foreign ministry made the request in a note sent to the Indian high commission in Dhaka on Wednesday as India suddenly imposed restrictions on the export of onion without notifying Bangladesh.
There was an informal commitment between the two countries on keeping flows of essentials, especially onion, unhindered, state minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam said.
There was also understanding that both sides would inform the other side in advance before enforcing decisions that might have impacts in the domestic markets, he said.
The Indian side did not issue any notification before suddenly stopping the export of opinion, a Bangladesh diplomat in New Delhi said.
The Bangladesh High Commission, however, has handed over an identical diplomatic note to the Indian external affairs ministry in New Delhi on Tuesday.
There was no reflection of understanding, developed based on discussions between the two countries in 2019 and 2020, in the announcement made by the Indian government imposing restrictions on the export of opinion on
September 14, according to the diplomatic note.
In both letters, the Bangladesh side expressed concern about sudden enforcement of restrictions by the Indian authorities on the export of onion making the domestic market in Bangladesh volatile.
The foreign ministry sent the notes after getting a formal request from the commerce ministry seeking diplomatic interventions for removal of restrictions on the export of onion for Bangladesh.
Onion prices shot up this week after the Indian government had imposed a ban on the export of the item.
