Bangladesh
Benapole-Petrapole Border Market to open soon at Benapole, Petrapole border
Dhaka, March 6, 2022: Bangladesh and India have agreed to set up a border hut at Benapole-Petrapole soon and to ensure 24-hour integrated check post (ICP) activities to facilitate trade between the two neighboring countries.
Sources in the Indian Ministry of Commerce said. Due to the Covid-19 epidemic, the border was closed for a long time due to restrictions and the Benapole-Petrapole ICP activities were constantly disrupted.
According to state-run news agency BSS, the annual trade secretary-level meeting between Bangladesh and India in Delhi on Friday decided to reopen the border hut and implement the Benapole-Petrapole ICP 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Bangladesh Commerce Secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh and Indian Commerce Secretary BVR were present at the meeting. Subramaniam represents their respective countries. Representatives of the respective departments of both the countries participated in the meeting.
A statement issued by the Indian Ministry of Commerce on Saturday said that the meeting discussed in detail various issues of mutual interest and significant progress has been made in the field of multilateral communication between Bangladesh and India. The meeting also discussed issues related to development of railway infrastructure and port infrastructure, joint research on the Integrated Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), regional connectivity through multilateral transport, integrated standards and mutual recognition agreements, the statement said. The meeting also approved a Detailed Project Proposal (DPP) to facilitate container management in the Sirajganj market to facilitate bilateral trade and to strengthen regional connectivity through multilateral transport.
The meeting was preceded by the 14th meeting of the Joint Working Group (JWG) at the level of Joint and Additional Secretaries of the Ministries of Commerce of the two countries on trade.
The next meeting of JWG and Commerce Secretaries will be held in Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, a Bangladeshi source said that some issues including lifting of anti-dumping duty on Bangladeshi jute products and removal of trade barriers were raised at the meeting. Bangladesh has been demanding lifting of the anti-dumping duty imposed by India for five years since 2016.
