Bangladesh seeks continued preferential market access to India after LDC graduation

Bangladesh has sought the continuation of preferential market access to India after its graduation from Least Developed Country (LDC) status.

The request was made on the opening day of the 16th meeting of the Bangladesh-India Joint Working Group on Trade in New Delhi, the commerce ministry said in a statement on Friday.

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Bangladesh also strongly pressed for the removal of land port restrictions and non-tariff barriers affecting its exports to India.

It also urged India to consider withdrawing anti-dumping duties imposed on Bangladeshi jute products and PET film, according to the commerce ministry statement.

The two-day meeting, which began on October 8, is discussing barriers to bilateral trade, the capacity of land ports and measures to make regional freight transport more efficient.

Both Bangladesh and India put forward proposals to ease existing import and export restrictions and improve connectivity.

Discussions also covered the removal of tariff and non-tariff barriers to improve access to the Indian market, as well as other trade remedy measures.

Another key issue was the continuation of tariff preferences for Bangladeshi exports after LDC graduation. In this regard, Bangladesh has sought consideration of retaining the benefits currently available under the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) agreement.

It has also stressed the need to harmonise product standards, facilitate mutual recognition and simplify procedures for obtaining the required certification from the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).

Expanding freight transport opportunities was another priority for Bangladesh. The agenda included greater access for Bangladeshi freight trucks travelling to Nepal and Bhutan through Indian territory.

The meeting has highlighted the need to improve infrastructure at India’s land customs stations to facilitate uninterrupted trade through land ports.

Bangladesh has proposed improving access routes, parking yards, warehouses and sheds, as well as cargo inspection and quarantine facilities. Increasing the capacity of border land ports and accelerating cargo clearance have also received attention.

India's agenda included removing restrictions on exports of cotton yarn and other products to Bangladesh through certain land ports. It also covered the removal of barriers to exports from India's northeastern states to Bangladesh.

Discussions have also addressed ways to improve the effectiveness of trade routes, including the Akhaura-Agartala link, enhance Bangladesh-India rail connectivity and resolve issues concerning border haats.

A 10-member Bangladesh delegation, led by Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Commerce, Ayesha Akhter, participated in the meeting, added the statement.