HASINA-MODI TALKS India export ban a priority

Bangladesh would ask India to set up a mechanism to avert adverse impacts of hasty decisions made by Indian authorities to stop export and impose new conditions on export goods in general as well as export of food items from the country.

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to raise the issues in her meeting with Indian counterpart Narendra Modi set to be held in New Delhi on Saturday.

The Indian government has already got a broad hint that they would get request for setting up a creative mechanism in making decisions that might have impacts on Bangladeshi food markets, diplomatic sources in New Delhi said Thursday The Bangladesh side would make the request keeping in consideration a recent Indian decision banning onion exports as well as obstructing trucks carrying onion towards Bangladesh border under previously opened  letter of credit, making the onion prices spiral out of control in the domestic wholesale and kitchen markets, Bangladesh officials said.

In the past India had suddenly increased the price of exportable rice, they said. 

‘An abrupt ban or control on products like this is unacceptable,’ said a senior official.

Sheikh Hasina reached New Delhi Thursday morning on a four-day official visit to India. A high-level delegation would accompany her in the talks with Modi set to  be held at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Saturday.

The government encouraged the private importers to rush for alternative sources like Myanmar, China, Egypt and Turkey to increase supplies in a bid to bring prices down while being fully aware of the difficulties to fill the gap in supply chain in such a short notice.

Rattled with the Indian decisions banning onion export, countries including Malaysia, Nepal and Sri Lanka were also on a rush to import onion from Myanmar, China, Egypt and Turkey, according to Reuters.

Major Indian exports of Bangladesh include cotton, rice, sugar, fruits, onion, spices, cereals, vehicles, engineering goods, chemicals and accessories. 

Bangladesh imported $6.8 billion worth of Indian goods as total bilateral trade was $7.5 billion in 2017 amid an increasing trend of export from India, according to India’s commerce ministry.

Bangladesh is the ninth largest importer of Indian goods, according to The Hindu.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net