Bangladesh, India resume trade talks after nearly three-year hiatus

Bangladesh and India are set to resume formal trade negotiations on Thursday (October 8) after nearly three years, with Dhaka seeking to dismantle barriers to exports, ease cross-border goods movement and address a widening trade imbalance amid strained political and diplomatic relations.

The 16th meeting of the Bangladesh-India Joint Working Group on Trade begins in New Delhi on October 8 and will continue for two days.

Discussions are expected to focus on obstacles to bilateral commerce, customs-related restrictions and complications affecting the movement of goods through land ports.

A 10-member Bangladeshi delegation is attending the meeting, led by Ayesha Akter, additional secretary of the Free Trade Agreement wing of the Ministry of Commerce.

Officials from the ministries of commerce, railways and foreign affairs, the National Board of Revenue, Bangladesh Land Port Authority, Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission, and Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution are also part of the delegation.

Dhaka is expected to press for reductions in tariff and non-tariff barriers that restrict Bangladeshi goods from entering the Indian market. Facilitating imports and exports through land ports and easing restrictions affecting cross-border trade will also be key priorities.

India’s anti-dumping duties on Bangladeshi jute products, including jute yarn and sacks, are likely to feature prominently. Bangladesh is expected to seek the withdrawal or reconsideration of the duties, which have been a longstanding concern for its exporters. Restrictions on land-based trade have also affected commercial operations at border ports.

The scale of the trade imbalance adds urgency to Bangladesh’s efforts to secure better market access.

According to National Board of Revenue data, Bangladesh exported goods worth $1.75 billion to India in the 2025-26 fiscal year, while imports from India totalled $10.96 billion. The resulting trade deficit stood at approximately $9.21 billion.

The proposed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) will not be discussed at this meeting. Instead, both sides are expected to concentrate on practical measures to reduce trade barriers, improve cross-border logistics and make bilateral commerce more efficient.

The previous, 15th meeting of the joint working group was held in Dhaka in September 2023. The resumption of talks after the prolonged gap comes as the two neighbours navigate difficult political and diplomatic relations, placing renewed attention on the economic issues that continue to bind them.