Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain on Wednesday said Bangladesh is in touch with India on the recent issues of push-ins and port-related restrictions on the import of certain goods, including readymade garments and processed food items, from Bangladesh.
Responding to a question on the restrictions, Adviser Hossain said the Commerce Adviser of the interim government is looking into it.
The Indian government said such port restrictions will not apply to Bangladesh goods transiting through India but destined for Nepal and Bhutan.
The import of all kinds of RMG from Bangladesh is not allowed from any land port. However, it is allowed only through Nhava Sheva and Kolkata seaports.
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Regarding reported push-ins, Adviser Hossain said communication with New Delhi continues and Dhaka is trying that nothing happens beyond the set mechanisms.
“They (India) have conveyed their position to some extent and we explained our position. We are trying to make them understand that this is not right,” he said, referring to a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).
The Adviser said the Indian side has given Bangladesh a list and Dhaka is verifying it through the Home Ministry.
Bangladesh’s position is that it will examine each case separately and will receive only if there is proof that they are Bangladeshi citizens.