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Meeting with Indian High Commissioner
Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram K Doraiswami paid a courtesy visit to Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI) on February 23, 2021 and had a bilateral trade talk with the President of DCCI Rizwan Rahman.
During the discussion, DCCI President Rizwan Rahman said that the bilateral trade between Bangladesh and India was USD 6.9 billion in FY 2019-20 where Bangladesh’s export to India was USD 1.10 billion against the import of USD 5.79 billion. Total FDI Stock from India to Bangladesh as of September, 2020 was USD 645.54 million. Since 2017, Bangladeshi jute products have been facing anti-dumping duties ranging between USD 19 and USD 351.72 per ton while exporting to India, he added. Moreover, India has enacted Customs Rules 2020 which may create problems in claiming preferential duty for Bangladeshi goods in the Indian market under SAFTA and APTA. Cost of transporting goods from Dhaka to Delhi is significantly higher than those from Dhaka to European and US ports, he mentioned. Rizwan Rahman requested to expedite implementation of Indian Line of Credit promised to Bangladesh. He also urged to review Custom Rules 2020 of India pertaining to Rules of Origin and mutual recognition of quality certification given by both the countries. He also said that the private sector needs to be included in the Joint Economic Commission to address the non-tariff barriers and trade related disputes. BIMSTEC, BCIM Economic Corridor facility needs to be tapped for mutual interests of private sector, he added.
He also emphasized on up-gradation of land Port infrastructures of both the countries, transit and connectivity, cross border railway connectivity and implementation of BBIN Motor Vehicle Agreement. Bangladesh can export electronic items, iron, steel and cement to north eastern region of India.
Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram K Doraiswami said that Bangladesh can export edible oil to India with at 20 percent value addition on the product. We would like establish a unique mechanism to allow Bangladesh’s BSTI certification especially for the food products as well as other products including steel in a reciprocal manner, he mentioned. Cost of transportation and time between Delhi and Chattogram Port is unendurably high, the High Commissioner said. Moreover, he urged the business community of both the countries to convince the government to upgrade goods transportation facilities. He also urged for infrastructure development and technological advancement of all the land ports of Bangladesh to expedite faster export, import processes. There are five railway crossings that are connected between the two sides now. He said for goods export and import, railway can be the best cost effective option and he again urged upon for railway infrastructure and capacity development. We are also very keen to expediting to use Bangladesh’s existing river ports for goods transportation, but this needs a few regulatory things to be done including river dredging. Regarding Indian investment in Bangladesh he said it would be great if we could jointly work to stimulate more Indian businesses to come Bangladesh and invest in the SEZs as Bangladesh has huge opportunity.
Published on: 2021-02-23