Myanmar seeks to resume border trade with Bangladesh

Myanmar has expressed interest in resuming border trade with Bangladesh after more than a year of suspension, proposing an initial limited reopening to revive commercial activity between the two neighbouring countries.

The proposal was made during a meeting on Sunday (August 2) between Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir and Myanmar Ambassador Kyaw Soe Moe at the Secretariat in Dhaka.

According to officials, the ambassador said reopening border trade would benefit businesses and local communities on both sides of the frontier. He suggested that, if necessary, trade could resume on a limited or temporary basis before returning to full-scale operations.

Border trade between the two countries has remained largely suspended for more than a year because of instability in Myanmar's border regions.

The meeting also focused on strengthening broader economic cooperation, including expanding bilateral trade, enhancing maritime connectivity, increasing investment and exploring opportunities in liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports.

Officials discussed boosting trade in agricultural products, fisheries, rice, pharmaceuticals and frozen foods, while emphasizing the importance of stronger business-to-business engagement between the two countries.

The Bangladeshi side said the geographical proximity of the two nations offers significant potential for deeper economic cooperation and added that the proposals would be reviewed through inter-ministerial coordination before any decisions are taken.

The long-stalled Rohingya repatriation process also featured prominently in the discussions.

According to the ambassador, Myanmar is continuing to verify lists of refugees eligible for repatriation and said the process would move forward once security conditions improve.

Bangladesh urged Myanmar to create a conducive environment for the safe and voluntary return of displaced Rohingya and called for visible progress on the repatriation initiative.

Both sides also agreed on the need for regular meetings of the bilateral joint committee and expressed support for establishing direct maritime and shipping links to facilitate trade and connectivity.