Bangladesh will now not be allowed to make use of Indian land ports to export ready-made garments (RMG) to India, officers in New Delhi asserted, following a notification from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade issued on Saturday (May 17, 2025) night that comes into quick impact. The identical notification has additionally ordered that specified commodities from Bangladesh will likely be prevented from coming into India’s north-east via the land ports of Tripura, Assam, Meghalaya, and Mizoram.
“Bangladesh has recently imposed port restrictions on the import of Indian yarn via land ports, allowing our yarn exports only via seaports. It has been decided to reciprocate this measure by imposing port restrictions on imports from Bangladesh of ready-made garments of all categories across all land ports – LCSs (Land Customs Stations) and ICPs (Integrated Check Posts),” mentioned a senior official, who added that in current months India has famous aggressive inspection of Indian vans on the Bangladeshi aspect, which has disturbed policymakers in New Delhi.
The official additional clarified that hereafter, ready-made garments from Bangladesh will likely be allowed to enter India solely via the seaports of Kolkata and Nhava Sheva (Mumbai), the place the cargo shipments will likely be subjected to “mandated inspections.”
On April 13, Bangladesh stopped Indian yarn exports via its land ports and, as well as, from April 15, additionally stopped Indian rice exports from the Hili and Benapole ICPs of West Bengal. The official mentioned that Bangladesh, a significant world producer of textile objects, has been “cherry-picking” on commerce points and that India feels this can’t be allowed to proceed.
The official additional expressed India’s unhappiness about what he described as “unreasonably high and economically unviable charges” that Bangladesh imposes on Indian items transiting via its territory, which forestall north-eastern States from cost-effectively promoting their merchandise to the remainder of India.
“India has decided to impose port restrictions across all LCSs and ICPs in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram on specified Bangladesh exports to India, targeting those commodities that can be locally manufactured,” mentioned the official, explaining the second a part of the notification. The specified objects beneath this order will embrace (amongst others) ready-made garments, plastic objects, wood furnishings, juices, carbonated drinks, fruit-flavoured drinks, bakery objects, confectionery objects, cotton yarn, and dyes.
The Hindu has learnt that the record of specified objects will likely be reviewed from time to time. This specific order on specified objects may also be applied via the LCSs of Fulbari and Changrabandha, positioned within the northern a part of West Bengal.
As per Indian estimates, round 93% of Bangladesh’s ready-made garment exports to India go via land ports, and this weekend’s notification on ready-made garments is predicted to affect that stream.
Officials mentioned that appreciable pondering had taken place about these financial and business measures and that the Chief Ministers of the related north-eastern States and West Bengal officers have already been knowledgeable concerning the determination. It is known that the restrictions imposed on specified objects in any respect LCSs and ICPs of north-east India will assist the native manufacturing sector in these States.
During the tenure of Sheikh Hasina from 2009 to August 5, 2024, the 2 sides invested in bettering land ports as these areas are essential for enhancing bilateral commerce ties. In November 2024, India and the interim authorities of Bangladesh had began discussions on operationalising a number of the land ports 24/7. However, sources in New Delhi indicated that the interim authorities’s current actions within the political area, particularly the banning of the Awami League, have given the indication that it isn’t prepared to create an inclusive surroundings in Bangladesh.
The Hindu was advised that the steps are being taken to “send a message” to Bangladesh’s interim authorities led by Prof. Mohammed Yunus, who, throughout his current go to to China, had described the north-eastern States of India as “land-locked.” “The eastern part of India, known as the Seven Sisters, is landlocked. They have no access to the ocean. We are the only guardians of the ocean in this region. This opens up huge possibilities,” Mr. Yunus mentioned, calling upon the Chinese manufacturing sector to entry north-eastern India, a strategically very important a part of India, as an extension of China’s world market. This comment was criticised by many, together with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Earlier this month, Prof. Yunus, in a gathering with Nepal’s Deputy Speaker, reiterated his imaginative and prescient of regional improvement encompassing the north-east, Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh.
Published – May 17, 2025 10:17 pm IST
