Kazi Zahidul Hasan :
A top business leader here on Thursday urged the Indian government to remove all the trade barriers against Bangladesh’s exports to India to reduce the trade imbalance between the countries.
“India should remove all the existing tariff, non-tariff and para-tariff barriers against Bangladeshi exports to reduce the huge trade imbalance prevailing between the countries,” Federation of Bangladesh Chambers and Commerce
and Industry (FBCCI) President Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed told The New Nation yesterday.
Bilateral trade between Bangladesh and India stood at $6.6 billion in 2013-14 with Bangladesh exports at $462 million and imports from India at $6.1 billion, tilting heavily on the Indian side.
“There is a possibility of reducing the huge trade gap once the trading irritants like tariff, non-tariff and para tariff barriers are resolved,” said Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed, adding, “We want a prompt action from the Indian government in this regard.”
Apart from these issues, the FBCCI chief also mentioned that the remaining infrastructure deficiencies are also hindering the trade between the two countries.
The FBCCI President, however, said that the business leaders here would raise the issues during their discussion with the Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to be held on Thursday.
The Indian External Affairs Minister arrived Dhaka Wednesday night in her three-day official visit to Bangladesh.
“Not only the trade imbalance, but the declining Bangladesh’s exports to India also is a matter of concern,” said the FBCCI President, adding that the bilateral trade gap could be redressed with greater trade integration, infrastructure facilitation and economic cooperation between the two countries.
The FBCCI President also called upon Indian investment in Bangladesh sectors to boost bilateral trade between the two SAARC neighbours. “There is huge scope for large-scale investments by Indian companies here. A similar scope is also there for Bangladeshi investments in India, specially in the country’s east and northeast,” he added.
“Ties between the two countries are historical and time has come to work together for give a fresh boost in our relationship to develop economies of both countries,” he opined.
A top business leader here on Thursday urged the Indian government to remove all the trade barriers against Bangladesh’s exports to India to reduce the trade imbalance between the countries.
“India should remove all the existing tariff, non-tariff and para-tariff barriers against Bangladeshi exports to reduce the huge trade imbalance prevailing between the countries,” Federation of Bangladesh Chambers and Commerce
and Industry (FBCCI) President Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed told The New Nation yesterday.
Bilateral trade between Bangladesh and India stood at $6.6 billion in 2013-14 with Bangladesh exports at $462 million and imports from India at $6.1 billion, tilting heavily on the Indian side.
“There is a possibility of reducing the huge trade gap once the trading irritants like tariff, non-tariff and para tariff barriers are resolved,” said Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed, adding, “We want a prompt action from the Indian government in this regard.”
Apart from these issues, the FBCCI chief also mentioned that the remaining infrastructure deficiencies are also hindering the trade between the two countries.
The FBCCI President, however, said that the business leaders here would raise the issues during their discussion with the Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to be held on Thursday.
The Indian External Affairs Minister arrived Dhaka Wednesday night in her three-day official visit to Bangladesh.
“Not only the trade imbalance, but the declining Bangladesh’s exports to India also is a matter of concern,” said the FBCCI President, adding that the bilateral trade gap could be redressed with greater trade integration, infrastructure facilitation and economic cooperation between the two countries.
The FBCCI President also called upon Indian investment in Bangladesh sectors to boost bilateral trade between the two SAARC neighbours. “There is huge scope for large-scale investments by Indian companies here. A similar scope is also there for Bangladeshi investments in India, specially in the country’s east and northeast,” he added.
“Ties between the two countries are historical and time has come to work together for give a fresh boost in our relationship to develop economies of both countries,” he opined.
