Islamabad wants Dhaka-Karachi transport link
Pakistan wants to boost bilateral trade and economic relations with Bangladesh
High Commissioner of Pakistan to Bangladesh Imran Ahmed Siddiqui has proposed facilitating visas for Pakistanis visiting Bangladesh for personal and business purposes.
He also advocated for establishment of a direct Dhaka-Karachi link for transportation of goods.
The high commissioner made the proposal during a meeting with Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi at the Secretariat Wednesday.
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The high commissioner also called for holding a single country fair for Bangladeshi products in Pakistan and organizing regular meetings of the Joint Economic Commission (JEC) to boost bilateral trade.
Emphasising the importance of strengthening bilateral trade, Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi said Pakistan has imposed anti-dumping duties on export of hydrogen peroxide from Bangladesh. Such measures hinder trade development.
He said the existing issues could be identified and resolved via discussions at the JEC meeting. Necessary cooperation could also be provided to both Bangladeshi and Pakistani businessmen, enabling them to contribute to bilateral trade through mutual visits.
The commerce minister said Bangladesh exports tea, pharmaceuticals, readymade garments, ceramics, leather, and jute products to Pakistan.
"There is scope to increase the export of those items. However, there are some issues too," said Tipu Munshi.
The high commissioner of Pakistan said that Bangladeshi ceramic products are being widely used in public offices in Pakistan. There is also huge demand for Bangladeshi pharmaceuticals, readymade garments, ceramics, leather, and jute products in Pakistan.
According to the Ministry of Commerce, Bangladesh exported goods worth about $51 million to Pakistan in the 2019-2020 fiscal year. At the same time, Bangladesh imported items worth about $544 million from Pakistan.
