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India has offered to allow import of 10 million pieces of apparel from Bangladesh tariff free. This is 25 per cent more than the previous years. India has also lifted countervailing duties on all jute exports from Bangladesh.
These were some of the steps agreed to further promote trade and economic co-operation between India and Bangladesh during the ongoing visit of the Commerce and Industry Minister, Mr Anand Sharma.
Indian private sector investment in the pipeline to Bangladesh was to the tune of $3.5 billion, the Minister noted. Details of the investment were, however, not immediately available.
The other steps that the two countries agreed to take for promoting trade and economic co-operation include strengthening infrastructure at borders.
This includes construction of land customs stations and integrated check posts, particularly at Petrapole and Agartala so as to facilitate trade, the statement said.
India welcomed the offer for use of Chittagong and Mongola ports noting this will provide benefits for trade and development of not only Bangladesh but also north-eastern part of India. “India is awaiting Bangladesh's response to the draft modalities that have been proposed,” the statement said.
India offered assistance in the construction of the bridge over Feni river, including the construction of the connecting road on the Bangladesh side.
Offers to export grain
PTI reports from Dhaka : Mr Anand Sharma said on Saturday India was ready to five lakh tonnes of grain to Bangladesh under the government-to-government deals.
“We are ready to ship three lakh tonnes of parboiled rice and two lakh tonnes wheat to Bangladesh,” Mr Sharma told a joint news conference with his Bangladesh counterpart Lt. Col (Retd) Faruk Khan in Dhaka.
The shipment is expected to start by next week when Bangladesh decides through which port the consignment should be handled, Mr Sharma said without giving details.
The Indian government had agreed to export following a request from Bangladesh late last year.
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