Thirty-six Bangladeshi trucks carrying ready-made garment (RMG) items have remained stranded at Benapole land port following restrictions imposed by India on the import of certain goods through its land ports.
Secretary of Petrapole Clearing Agent Staff Welfare Association, Kartik Chakraborty, said the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, imposed restrictions on the imports of certain goods including readymade garments.
Particularly, certain readymade garments that were previously allowed through land ports must be routed via Kolkata Sea Port or Mumbai’s Nhava Sheva Port, he said.
However, goods that already have LCs or TTs in place are being discussed with Indian Customs for possible clearance, he added.
Mohsin Milon, president of the Benapole Importers and Exporters Association, said due to this restriction by the Indian government, 36 trucks carrying RMG goods were stuck at Benapole, awaiting entry clearance.
Exporters are concerned about potential commercial losses due to the sudden restriction.
Mamun Kabir Tarafder, deputy director of Benapole Land Port, said they have informed the matter to the higher authorities concerned.
India on Saturday imposed port restrictions on the import of certain goods, including readymade garments (RMG) and processed food items, from Bangladesh with immediate effect.
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, India has issued a notification in this regard.
These restrictions came after Bangladesh restricted Indian cotton via sea ports, closing land ports, a diplomatic source told UNB.
Leading RMG exporters stung by India's decision to restrict imports
Voicing concerns over the restrictions imposed by India, a leading RMG exporter on Saturday said such a drastic decision will naturally further deteriorate trade relations between Bangladesh and India.
"It will now take longer time for Bangladeshi garments to arrive than before, and costs will increase. That means exports will decrease to some extent," Mohiuddin Rubel, former director of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), told UNB.
At a time when world trade is beset by various problems, such reciprocal trade liberalization decisions will further increase the level of damage to both, he said.
Rubel said Bangladesh exports half a billion US dollars to India on average every year.
"Since India is a major buyer of Bangladesh and ready-made garment, exports were on the rise. This has become a new cause of concern for us," Rubel said.
"Even if it is known that transshipment - Bhutan or Nepal - will not be affected, it will still affect business relations as a whole," he added.
Since, apart from readymade garments, other products such as fruits, carbonated drinks, plastic and PVC finished goods and wooden furniture have been restricted through India's northeastern land ports, there is a risk of impacts on overall business relations and financial losses, said the exporter.
India restricts Bangladeshi RMG imports through Kolkata, Mumbai seaports
India on Saturday imposed port restrictions on the import of certain goods, including readymade garments (RMG) and processed food items, from Bangladesh with immediate effect.
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, India has issued a notification in this regard.
These restrictions came after Bangladesh restricted Indian cotton via sea ports, closing land ports, a diplomatic source told UNB.
But, the Indian government said such port restrictions will not apply to Bangladesh goods transiting through India but destined for Nepal and Bhutan.
The import of RMG from Bangladesh shall not be allowed from any land port. However, it will be allowed through Nhava Sheva and Kolkata seaports, the notification reads.
The import of fruit/ fruit flavoured and carbonated drinks; processed food items; cotton and cotton yarn waste; plastic and PVC finished goods, except pigments, dyes, plasticisers and granules that form input for own industries; and wooden furniture, shall not be allowed through any Land Customs Stations (LCSs)/ Integrated Check Posts (ICPs) in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram; and LCS Changrabandha and Fulbari in West Bengal.
The port restrictions do not apply to the import of fish, LPG, edible oil and crushed stone from Bangladesh.
