In what seems like another ‘retaliatory’ move, the Indian government has imposed restrictions on imports of certain goods from Bangladesh.In a directive issued on Saturday by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the import of all kinds of ready-made garments from Bangladesh through land ports has been prohibited. These goods will only be allowed to be imported through the seaports of Nhava Sheva and Kolkata.A wider range of goods—including fruit and fruit-flavoured carbonated drinks, processed food items, cotton and cotton yarn waste, plastic and PVC finished goods (excluding essential industrial inputs such as pigments, dyes, plasticisers, and granules), and wooden furniture— will face more stringent port restrictions. These items will not be allowed entry through any Land Customs Stations (LCSs) or Integrated Check Posts (ICPs) in the northeastern states of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram. The restriction also extends to LCSs at Changrabandha and Fulbari in West Bengal.However, the DGFT clarified that these restrictions do not apply to certain essential imports. Items such as fish, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), edible oil, and crushed stone will continue to be permitted through all existing land and sea ports.The DGFT notification has also clarified that these port restrictions are not applicable to Bangladeshi goods transiting through India but destined for Nepal and Bhutan.Though the government has not disclosed specific reasons, it is likely that the move came in the wake of Bangladesh restricting land imports of cotton yarn from India to protect local industries from cheaper imports. India had earlier stopped the transhipment facility it had offered Bangladesh to export its cargo to third countries via its ports and airports.India’s total annual trade with Bangladesh is around $13 billion with imports from Bangladesh at $2 billion, as per the latest data available with the Ministry of Commerce.
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