Bangladesh-India trade meeting begins tomorrow in Delhi

Amid political tensions between Bangladesh and India, the 16th meeting of the two countries’ Joint Working Group on Trade will be held in New Delhi on 8 and 9 October.
A 10-member Bangladeshi delegation will leave Dhaka for Delhi today, led by Ayesha Akter, additional secretary (FTA) at the commerce ministry, according to ministry sources.
The meeting will discuss ways to reduce the trade deficit, remove obstacles to imports and exports, and strengthen trade and economic ties.
Bangladesh’s priorities will include removing tariff and non-tariff barriers, restoring the normal movement of goods through land ports and seeking a review of India’s anti-dumping duties on Bangladeshi jute products, the sources said.
The 15th meeting was held in Dhaka on 26 and 27 September 2023, while the 14th took place in New Delhi on 2 and 3 March 2022. The annual meeting was not held after Bangladesh’s government changed in 2024 amid cooling relations between the two countries.
Previous meetings discussed infrastructure development at land ports and integrated check posts, withdrawal of port-related restrictions, reopening border haats, rail transportation of goods, regional connectivity, and harmonisation and mutual recognition of product standards. Preparations and a joint study for the Bangladesh-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), supply of essential goods to Bangladesh, and keeping the Petrapole-Benapole check posts open 24 hours were also discussed.
According to EPB data, Bangladesh’s imports from India rose to US$10.96 billion in the fiscal 2025-26 from $9.62 billion in the previous fiscal year. During the same period, Bangladesh exported $1.75 billion worth of goods to India, compared with $1.76 billion a year earlier.
Recently, Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir and Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi discussed reopening closed border haats, ensuring full operational capacity at land ports and withdrawing restrictions on imports of Indian yarn.
Earlier, a high-profile delegation of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) visited Bangladesh as part of efforts to enhance trade and investment. The delegation held meetings with several ministries and the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI).