The Indian government has imposed a ban on various products imported from Bangladesh. Under this decision, readymade garments, plastic products, processed food items and other items will not be able to be imported through the border checkposts of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram and West Bengal. Now the import of these products will be possible only from the sea ports of Kolkata and Nhava Sheva (Mumbai), which will increase the logistics cost of Bangladeshi exporters.
The move comes in the backdrop of a speech in China by Bangladesh’s interim government’s chief adviser Mohammad Yunus, in which he called India’s northeastern states “areas denied access to the sea”. India has considered this remark as insulting and strategically inappropriate, which has resulted in tensions in bilateral relations.
The banned products include readymade garments, plastic products, melamine, wooden furniture, carbonated beverages, fruit flavoured drinks, bakery products, confectionery, cotton and cotton waste. However, products like fish, LPG, edible oil and crushed stone have been exempted from this ban.
Analysts believe that this decision has been taken to establish trade balance and protect national interests. According to Indian officials, Bangladesh has already imposed port restrictions on the export of Indian yarn and a ban on the export of rice. In response to these measures, India has decided to limit the easy access of Bangladeshi products.
This ban is not just a trade measure, but also a strategic and diplomatic message. It will particularly impact small and medium traders from Bangladesh, who will now have to face higher costs and complex procedures to export their products.