Amid Yunus’ China Pivot, India Imposes Port Restrictions On Imports Of Select Goods From Bangladesh

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, has issued a notification imposing port restrictions on the import of select goods from Bangladesh to India from immediate effect.

However, such port restriction will not apply to Bangladesh goods transiting through India but destined for Nepal and Bhutan.

According to a DGFT notification, the import of all kinds of ready made garments from Bangladesh will be allowed only through Nhava Sheva and Kolkata seaports, an not via any land ports.

Further, other goods including fruit and fruit flavoured and carbonated drinks, processed food items, cotton and cotton yarn waste, plastic and PVC finished goods (except raw input materials including pigments, dyes, plasticisers and granules) and wooden furniture from Bangladesh have also been brought under specific port restrictions.

These goods cannot be imported through land customs stations (LCSs) and integrated check posts (ICPs) in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram; and LCS Changrabandha and Fulbari in West Bengal.

However, the port restrictions do not apply to the import of fish, LPG, edible oil, and crushed stone from Bangladesh.

This move comes over a month after India terminated the transshipment facility for Bangladesh that allowed Dhaka to export cargo to third countries third countries using Indian Land Customs Stations en route to Indian ports and airports, to enable smooth trade flows for Bangladesh’s exports to countries such as Bhutan, Nepal, and Myanmar.

Bilateral relations between India and Bangladesh have been on a downward spiral ever since the Muhammad Yunus-led interim regime took over last year, following the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government after violent protests in the country.

During a recent visit to China from 26-29 March, Muhammad Yunus had said that, with Northeast India being “landlocked”, Dhaka was the “only guardian of the ocean for all this region”.

His remarks was widely interpreted as an attempt by Dhaka to assert its leverage over access to the Northeast — a matter of concern for Delhi.

Yunus’ efforts to portray Beijing as a new strategic partner have further complicated the already fragile India-Bangladesh relationship.

“The seven states of eastern India, known as the Seven Sisters, are a landlocked region. They have no direct access to the ocean,” Yunus said.

“We are the only guardian of the ocean for this entire region. This opens up a huge opportunity. It could become an extension of the Chinese economy — build things, produce things, market things, bring goods to China and export them to the rest of the world,” he added.

Ending the cargo facility is likely to complicate Bangladesh’s trade logistics with Bhutan, Nepal, and Myanmar.

The earlier system reduced time and costs. Now, exporters may face rising delays and unpredictability.

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