Bangladesh unfazed by India’s transshipment cancellation: Bashir
Bangladesh is not facing any issues following India’s cancellation of the transshipment facility, Commerce Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin stated on Thursday while speaking to reporters at the Secretariat.
India on Tuesday abruptly cancelled the transshipment arrangement under which Bangladeshi goods were being shipped to third countries via Indian territory.
“This [cancellation of transshipment] was suddenly imposed on us,” the adviser said in response to a question. “Immediately, I held a meeting yesterday with all our stakeholders. InshaAllah, we are not facing any problem because of this. We are taking all necessary measures to ensure there is no shortfall in our own capacity, competitive ability, and export logistics. I believe, InshaAllah, we will overcome this.”
When asked about the specific measures being taken, Sheikh Bashir Uddin said, “I won’t share the details with you at this moment. The challenges we face in terms of competition—some are structural and some are related to costs—we are working to overcome them through coordination and enhancing our capabilities. I don’t see any major problem here.”
Asked whether Bangladesh would send a formal letter to India regarding the issue, the adviser responded, “We are not considering that at the moment.”
Regarding the extent of exports affected by the cancellation, he said, “Around 40,000 to 50,000 tonnes of materials used to be exported via road to various Indian ports, particularly Delhi and Kolkata. We hope to quickly resolve this issue by enhancing our own transport capacity. These goods were primarily destined for European countries.”
On the topic of the suspension of US tariffs, the adviser said, “Alhamdulillah, very good. It will bring stability to our trade.”
He added, “Yesterday, we had an online meeting with representatives of the United States Trade Representative (USTR). We are working on our action plans. As soon as possible, we will also visit the US and present our position there.”
“The suspension is temporary,” he cautioned. “We have long-term actions to consider, as their expectations haven’t disappeared. We are analysing how much we can meet those expectations based on our bilateral trade and will make decisions accordingly.”
“Our main objective is to address the trade deficit. That is the context in which we are working,” he concluded.
