Non-tariff barriers 'impede Bangladesh exports to India'

30/09/2014 12:00 - 526 Views

Non-tariff barriers have emerged as a hindrance for Bangladesh to enjoy a win-win situation while exporting goods to India though the latter mentioned that it had offered Bangladeshi garment items duty-free access to its market, said State Minister for Jute and Textiles Mirza Azam.

Bangladesh has exported goods worth $564 million in the fiscal year 2012-2013 while the amount was $230 million during the June-January period of 2013-2014 fiscal, registering a decline in Bangladesh's export to Indian market, Azam said calling for removing the non-tariff barriers.

He was addressing as the Chief Guest the inauguration of the two-day Indian Man Made Textile Exhibition-Intexpo Bangla-desh 2014 at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in the capital on Monday.

Sandeep Chakravarti, Deputy High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh, spoke at the programme, among others.

Addressing the programme, Sandeep Chakbarti said that Bangladesh can make its garment export triple if it works in collaboration with the textile and garment sector of India.

As India is the nearest neighbour of Bangladesh, export-import supply chain between the two countries will be smooth, he said adding that Bangladeshi garment sector's stakeholders, especially the stakeholders of textile sector can source their raw materials from Indian market.

The exposition would be a platform to strengthen bi-lateral trade relations of the both the countries, especially the stakeholders of garment and textile sector, said Mohammad Ali.

He said that Bangladesh imports raw materials for the textile sector from China and India and it is now looking for a reliable source of raw materials which will also ensure the quality.

Echoing the statements of Mohammad Ali, Shahidullah Azim said that country's ready-made garment and textile is a thriving sector and it is playing a vital role in keeping country's economy vibrant.

Indian Textile and Bangladesh RMG sector has a strong international relation, said Sanjeeb Saran adding that the exhibition was arranged to strengthen the inter-relation of the garment sectors of the two countries, he called upon the Bangladeshi stakeholders to arrange business-to-business, government-to- government and industry-to-industry dialogue and resolve the problems for business growth of the two countries.

A total of 22 companies of India participated in the exhibition. The companies include Aakanksha Overseas. Surat, Gajiwala Sarees, Surat, Jainco International, Mumbai, Soundaraja Mills Limited, Tamilnadu and Shomer Exports, Mumbai.

Source: observerbd.com