Dhaka looks to a meeting with Delhi on the sidelines of the upcoming WTO ministerial conference with intent to implement CEPA (Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement) and food quota quickly.
According to foreign ministry officials, commerce ministry wants to sit with the Indian high-ups concerned sooner to make remarkable progress in these bilateral initiatives.
These measures would help ensure the fast-growing economy of Bangladesh graduate from its LDC status in 2026 smoothly through affordable food intakes, they observed.
To this end, senior commerce secretary has already asked the Bangladesh High commissioner in New Delhi through foreign ministry.
When asked, state minister for commerce Ahsanul Islam Titu said, "We expect to hold a meeting with India on the CEPA and annual import quota on the sidelines of the next 13th WTO ministerial conference."
He hoped to hold a detailed meeting on the issues after the general election in India.
Dhaka and Delhi have recently exchanged some documents and plans for the CEPA, but formal negotiations have still to be started.
To this effect, commerce ministry formed two committees, including an advisory committee (AC) led by former commerce minister Tipu Munshi, and an 11-member Trade Negotiations Committee (TNC).
The two countries first discussed the possibility of signing a CEPA deal in 2018 at the commerce secretary-level meeting for increased trade and cooperation.
In August 2023, according to sources, commerce ministry again proposed for an annual fixed quota on six commodities and food grains from India to Bangladesh.
The move comes as Bangladesh is facing severe wheat shortages due to the Russia-Ukraine war, which has disrupted global wheat supplies.
The war has also pushed up global food prices, making it difficult for Bangladesh to import food at affordable prices.
In the December 2022 Indo-Bangla commerce ministerial meeting, Dhaka proposed a quota of 4.5-million tonnes of wheat, 2.0-million tonnes of rice, 1.5-million tonnes of sugar, 0.7-million tonnes of onion, 0.125-million tonnes of ginger, 30,000 tonnes of lentil and 10,000 tonnes of garlic.
However, Dhaka sent a revised list later following Delhi's recommendation to rationalise it.
The new proposal asked for 2.5-million tonnes of wheat, 1.5-million tonnes of rice, 1.0-million tonnes of sugar, 0.6-million tonnes of onions and 0.1-million tonnes of ginger.
A trade official said, "As India is a large neighbour of Bangladesh, we should try to implement some pending issues like the CEPA and import quota…"
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