Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi on Sunday expressed his high optimism that the Bangladesh-India trade relations would reach a new height in the 50th year of Bangladesh’s independence.
“We want to take the Bangladesh-India trade relations in such a position in our 50th year of independence which would remain as memorable among the people of both countries. As far as we’re hopeful of resolving our existing problems, there is also strong resolve from the two countries to further expand investment and trade relations,” he said.
Tipu also said that a new door of commercial relations between the two countries would be unveiled.
The commerce minister came up with the statement while addressing a press briefing after the visiting Indian Commerce and Trade Secretary Anup Wadhawan met him at his secretariat office in Dhaka, reports BSS.
Answering to a question, Tipu said that the anti-dumping duty that India has imposed on jute and other Bangladeshi products would be resolved through discussions.
He said that the Indian commerce secretary has requested Bangladesh to modernise Bangladesh customs management and Benapole Land Port and adding that the government is also working to this end.
Mentioning that the existing border huts have created much more interest among the people of the bordering areas, Tipu said an initiative has been taken to set up a border hut along with Mizoram border alongside increasing the number of border huts.
The commerce minister said that India has expressed its interest to increase investment in Bangladesh as the Indian entrepreneurs want to invest in Bangladesh’s food processing and automobile industries.
Meanwhile, the daylong commerce secretary-level meeting between Bangladesh and India will be held on Monday in the capital in a bid to boost bilateral trade, removing the existing trade barriers and thus expanding economic cooperation.
Bangladesh Commerce Secretary Md Jafar Uddin will lead the Bangladesh delegation at the meeting, to be held at Hotel Intercontinental, Dhaka, while Indian Commerce and Industries Secretary Anup Wadhawan will lead his respective part.
The release said that the Bangladesh delegation will comprise representatives from Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Industries, Textiles and Jute, Shipping, Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission, National Board of Revenue (NBR), BSTI, Roads and Highways Division, Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) and the Ministry of Commerce.
The possible agendas of the meeting are to review the progress of the decisions taken in the last commerce secretary-level meeting between the two countries held on January 15-16, 2020, held in New Delhi, reviewing the progress of the 13th Joint Working Group (JWG) meeting on trade between Bangladesh and India.