The Hindu : Bangladesh business delegation coming on Feb. 15

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Feb 08, 2003

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Bangladesh business delegation coming on Feb. 15

By Barun Das Gupta

GUWAHATI Feb. 7. A high-power business delegation from Bangladesh is coming here on February 15, at the invitation of the North-East Chamber of Commerce and Industry, to explore the possibilities of increasing trade between Bangladesh and the northeast.

The groundwork was prepared by a joint task force set up by the Tripura Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry to suggest ways of improving trade relations between Bangladesh and the northeast.

The task force's working paper said that exports from Bangladesh to the region in 2001-02 was to the tune of Rs. 52.6 crores, of which "informal'' trade (euphemism for smuggling) accounted for as much as Rs. 46.7 crores. During the same period, exports from the northeast to Bangladesh was for Rs. 289 crores, of which "informal'' trade was to the tune of Rs. 100 crores.

The figures showed not only the trade imbalance, with Bangladeshi imports being over five-and-a half times that of its exports, but also the high percentage of "informal'' trade. Normal trade relations would have benefited both Bangladesh and the northeast by way of duties and taxes.

The working paper listed eight obstacles to trade: restriction on goods and products; tariff barriers; non-tariff barriers; time and cost of transactions; absence of a transport agreement; documentation requirements, facilitation cost and time taken to obtain visa; and lack of information on the requirements and opportunities in Bangladesh and the region.

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