Bangladesh has been facing a shortage of essential commodities and has been seeking assurance of imports from neighboring countries, particularly India. However, the Indian government has currently banned the export of sugar, which hinders the guarantee of these imported products to Bangladesh. In March, the Bangladesh government requested India for an annual import quota of six commodities, totaling 52.5 lakh tonnes. This includes a maximum of 20 lakh tonnes of wheat.
While India has previously provided such quotas to neighboring countries like Bhutan and Maldives, the provision of quotas to Bangladesh remains uncertain. The Ministry of Commerce sent a formal letter to India requesting quotas for the import of these six products. The letter outlined the desired quantities, with the government and private sector sharing the import responsibilities. However, India’s ban on sugar export and the unstable commodity market have affected the consideration of Bangladesh’s request. A decision on the quota issue may be taken during Prime Minister’s visit to India in September.
Source for more details:
