An inordinate delay in allowing the Bhutanese goods-laden trucks to enter Bangladesh through Indian land port Changrabandha is badly hampering Bangladesh's import trade with Bhutan, officials and relevant traders said.
The Indian land port authorities have set a limited time frame for Bhutanese cargoes to enter Burimari in Bangladesh through Changrabandha, which causes the delay, according to them.
As a result, many imported items get damaged, causing financial losses to both importers and exporters, they said.
The Bhutan Exporters Association and the Bhutan C&F Agents Association discussed the issue with a senior official of the commerce ministry of Bangladesh at a view exchange meeting held in Bhutan recently, said a high official of the commerce ministry.
The senior official went to Bhutan to participate in a meeting of the Bangladesh-Bhutan Joint Working Group on Transit and Protocol in the last week of October.
According to importers and exporters, the goods-laden trucks bound for Bangladesh are allowed to cross Indian border through Changrabandha only after 2:00pm.
So, it could not be possible for the Bhutanese exporters to complete all the customs-related procedures within the remaining three working hours at the Burimari land port of Bangladesh and then return to Bhutan the same day, they said.
So, import costs as well as export costs go up significantly, they added.
On October 8 and 9, the 12th meeting of the Joint Group of Customs (JGC) between Bangladesh and India held in New Delhi took a decision regarding the use of Indian land port for transportation of cargoes of a third country.
At the meeting, the Indian side informed that at a separate lane for third country cargo (CTD goods from Bhutan and Bangladesh) is not feasible due to narrow road. Also, at present infrastructure is not available for a separate yard for Nepal and Bhutan cargo at Fulbari and Changrabandha LCS respectively.
The Bangladesh side then requested the Indian side to give priority to transit cargo and the Indian side assured that the transit cargo will be given priority.
Additional commerce secretary Shafiqul Islam said, "We have recently urged the Indian authorities concerned to resolve the issue in line with the discussion at the 12th meeting of JGC."
Bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Bhutan is very small. In fiscal year 2015-16, Bangladesh exported goods worth US$4.74 million to Bhutan and imported goods worth $21.60 million.
Bangladesh mainly exports apparels, agro-products, and footwear to Bhutan and imports vegetable products, prepared foodstuffs, mineral products, textiles and textile articles, base metals, machinery and mechanical appliances and electrical equipment.
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