NEW DELHI: Bangladesh has sought the continuation of preferential market access to India even after its Least Developed Country (LDC) status ends. It has also sought the removal of restrictions on its exports through Indian land ports and the withdrawal of anti-dumping duties on jute products and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film.
The demands were raised at the 16th meeting of the Bangladesh-India Joint Working Group on Trade, an official said. The meeting, convened after a prolonged gap, focused on trade barriers, land port infrastructure, connectivity and the harmonisation of product standards.
Bangladesh’s graduation from LDC status could affect the competitiveness of its exports to India, as its exporters may face duties of around 20 per cent on some goods, compared with the current zero-duty access under preferential arrangements. Garments account for a significant share of Bangladesh’s exports to India, alongside agricultural and fisheries products.
Dhaka also sought a review of restrictions on goods entering India through land ports, simpler certification procedures under the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), and improved infrastructure at land customs stations, including access roads, warehouses and quarantine facilities. It called for faster cargo clearance and greater capacity at land ports to reduce transportation costs and delays.
The Bangladesh side also sought greater access for its trucks travelling to Nepal and Bhutan through Indian territory as part of efforts to improve regional freight movement.
India, meanwhile, raised concerns over restrictions imposed by Bangladesh’s interim administration on Indian cotton exports, high import duties on commodities such as fruits, rice, iron and steel, and the use of positive lists for trade through land border posts in the northeastern states, people familiar with the matter said.
Unlike the negative-list system followed for trade with West Bengal, under which only specified goods are prohibited, trade through northeastern land ports is governed by a positive list that permits only designated items. India has sought a shift to the negative-list system to provide a more level playing field for traders.
New Delhi also called for the revival of border haats, integrated check posts and land customs stations that were shut during the interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus.
According to data from Bangladesh’s National Board of Revenue, the country exported goods worth $1.75 billion to India and imported goods worth $10.96 billion in 2025-26. The figures underline the substantial trade imbalance, with India remaining Bangladesh’s second-largest source of imports after China.
