India Restricts Imports of Specific Goods from Bangladesh

(MENAFN) Indian authorities have announced new limitations on the import of specific goods from neighboring Bangladesh via land routes, according to official sources on Sunday.

A directive issued by India's Ministry of Commerce and Industry through the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) on Saturday has banned the entry of all types of ready-made garments from Bangladesh through land ports.

However, the directive clearly stated that these goods can only enter India through the seaports of Nhava Sheva and Kolkata.

Furthermore, a broader array of products will face stricter port controls. This includes fruit and fruit-flavored carbonated beverages, processed foods, cotton and cotton yarn waste, finished plastic and PVC goods (excluding vital industrial components like pigments, dyes, plasticizers, and granules), and wooden furniture.

According to the notification, these goods will be barred from entering through any Land Customs Stations (LCSs) or Integrated Check Posts (ICPs) in the northeastern Indian states of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram. The restrictions also encompass LCSs at Changrabandha and Fulbari in West Bengal.

Despite the new restrictions, the DGFT made it clear that certain crucial imports remain unaffected. Items like fish, LPG, edible oil, and crushed stone will still be allowed entry via all current land and sea ports.

The DGFT notification also stated that these port restrictions do not affect Bangladeshi exports destined for Nepal and Bhutan that transit through India.

This development follows the Indian government's termination last month of a trans-shipment arrangement that had allowed Bangladesh to export goods to other countries via Indian land customs stations.

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