Bhutan imposes ban on import of certain Bangladesh items
Nazmul Ahsan
Bhutan has imposed a ban on import of a number of items, including agricultural products, from Bangladesh and some other countries except India, official sources said.
Bhutan has taken the decision recently, which was conveyed to the Ministry of Commerce (MoC) by the Bangladesh Embassy in the Bhutanese capital Thimphu last week.
Other items falling under the ban include -- motor vehicles, furniture, all types of juices and energy drinks, wine, bear and liquor, chips, noodles, cakes and wafers, according to a gazette notification of the Bhutanese government.
The notification, however, said the ban will not be applicable for products originating from India.
The sudden decision of the Bhutanese government came amid the tightening of its monetary policy undertaken a few months back to address the depleting foreign exchange reserve, a trade official said.
Another trade diplomat said the decision might have been taken at the insistence of some beneficiary country to stop export of agri-products from Bangladesh to Bhutan.
[B]"If we cannot export agricultural products like juice and energy drinks to Bhutan, neighbouring India will be able to increase its export volume of similar products to Bhutan," a trade official in the MoC told the FE Saturday.[/B]
Country's export of fruit juice and energy drinks to Bhutan is almost a half of its total export earnings, which is worth $ 3.12 million per annum to the Himalayan country, according to trade statistics.
Officials in the MoC said they would soon request the Bhutanese authority to lift the ban.
"Our minister will write an official letter to the Bhutanese trade minister to reconsider their decision," a senior commerce ministry official said.
He said the issue would be raised at the upcoming commerce secretary level meeting of the two countries scheduled to be held in next month in Thimphu.
The export items from Bangladesh to Bhutan include ready-made garments, pharmaceuticals, melamine, toilet soap, dry food, fruit juice, energy drinks and mineral water.
On the other hand, Bhutan exports products like fresh fruits, paper and paper boards, crushed stones, coffee and spices to Bangladesh. The total export of Bhutan to Bangladesh in 2010-2011 was $ 18.50 million.
Recently, Bhutan sought transit facility to Bangladesh through the latter's sea, air and land ports.
Bhutan imposes ban on import of certain Bangladesh items
Nazmul Ahsan
Bhutan has imposed a ban on import of a number of items, including agricultural products, from Bangladesh and some other countries except India, official sources said.
Bhutan has taken the decision recently, which was conveyed to the Ministry of Commerce (MoC) by the Bangladesh Embassy in the Bhutanese capital Thimphu last week.
Other items falling under the ban include -- motor vehicles, furniture, all types of juices and energy drinks, wine, bear and liquor, chips, noodles, cakes and wafers, according to a gazette notification of the Bhutanese government.
The notification, however, said the ban will not be applicable for products originating from India.
The sudden decision of the Bhutanese government came amid the tightening of its monetary policy undertaken a few months back to address the depleting foreign exchange reserve, a trade official said.
Another trade diplomat said the decision might have been taken at the insistence of some beneficiary country to stop export of agri-products from Bangladesh to Bhutan.
[B]"If we cannot export agricultural products like juice and energy drinks to Bhutan, neighbouring India will be able to increase its export volume of similar products to Bhutan," a trade official in the MoC told the FE Saturday.[/B]
Country's export of fruit juice and energy drinks to Bhutan is almost a half of its total export earnings, which is worth $ 3.12 million per annum to the Himalayan country, according to trade statistics.
Officials in the MoC said they would soon request the Bhutanese authority to lift the ban.
"Our minister will write an official letter to the Bhutanese trade minister to reconsider their decision," a senior commerce ministry official said.
He said the issue would be raised at the upcoming commerce secretary level meeting of the two countries scheduled to be held in next month in Thimphu.
The export items from Bangladesh to Bhutan include ready-made garments, pharmaceuticals, melamine, toilet soap, dry food, fruit juice, energy drinks and mineral water.
On the other hand, Bhutan exports products like fresh fruits, paper and paper boards, crushed stones, coffee and spices to Bangladesh. The total export of Bhutan to Bangladesh in 2010-2011 was $ 18.50 million.
Recently, Bhutan sought transit facility to Bangladesh through the latter's sea, air and land ports.
Bhutan imposes ban on import of certain Bangladesh items
). This is why recently we've seen that india allows Bhutan-Bangladesh transit through them (a de facto indian decision behind the scene) which will accelerate the process of indian transit through BD.
