United News of Bangladesh

A high-level Indian business delegation from the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) is visiting Bangladesh from August 17-19 and seeks to further strengthen the longstanding economic and commercial engagement between Bangladesh and India. Discussions during the visit will also focus on addressing issues of mutual interest and mutual benefit, identifying emerging areas of cooperation, and facilitating greater engagement between businesses of the two countries, officials said on Monday. Both sides will explore opportunities for greater economic and commercial cooperation between the two countries. The delegation, led by Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, CII, comprises 14 business leaders representing prominent Indian companies and institutions, including Bharat Biotech, Infravision Foundation, Godrej Industries, Arvind Limited, LMW Global, Mahindra Group, Larsen & Toubro (L&T), Forbes Marshall, Numaligarh Refinery Limited, Apollo Hospitals and Indian Oil Corporation, along with officials from the CII Secretariat. During the visit, the delegation is scheduled to meet senior members of the government of Bangladesh, including Khandaker Abdul Muktadir, Minister of Commerce; Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Minister of Finance and Planning; and Shama Obaed Islam, State Minister for Foreign Affairs. The meetings are expected to provide an opportunity for exchanging views on strengthening bilateral trade and investment, enhancing business-to-business linkages and exploring new avenues of economic cooperation, officials said. The delegation will also participate in a luncheon meeting with the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), which will be graced by Abdul Awal Mintoo, Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, as the chief guest. During the luncheon, the delegation will interact with leading Bangladeshi businesses and industry representatives. Bangladesh and India continue to enjoy largest trading relationships in South Asia. Bilateral merchandise trade reached approximately US$11.39 billion in FY2024–25, with Bangladesh exporting goods worth US$1.76 billion to India and importing US$9.62 billion, according to the International Chamber of Commerce, Bangladesh (ICCB). ICC Bangladesh President Mahbubur Rahman recently underscored the importance of stronger private sector engagement to unlock the full potential of bilateral cooperation and promote sustainable economic growth. He emphasised the importance of improving market access for Bangladeshi products, reducing non-tariff barriers, harmonising standards, simplifying customs procedures and concluding the proposed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) at the earliest opportunity to reduce the trade gap. Rahman reiterated the importance of resolving the anti-dumping measures affecting Bangladeshi exports, particularly jute and jute products, and called for continued dialogue to ensure fair and transparent trade remedies. Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi recently said Bangladesh and India possess all the ingredients necessary to emerge as a global economic powerhouse. He observed that both countries have exceptional strengths in innovation, education, healthcare and human capital, and stressed that these advantages should be translated into stronger economic cooperation and sustainable development. The High Commissioner said many longstanding bilateral issues could be resolved through sustained engagement and dialogue at the highest political level. He emphasised the indispensable role of the private sector in driving economic growth, investment and employment, noting that businesses are the foundation of a stable and prosperous economy.

Amid stated 'outrage' from Bangladesh, the Indian government on Friday reiterated that it had "no role" to play in deposed former prime minister Sheikh Hasina's recent press conference in New Delhi, nor does it endorse what was said at the event, where Sheikh Hasina spoke virtually. "I have already stated the government's position on the issue before the press conference happened. You would have seen those remarks. I am reiterating it here," said Spokesperson at the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Randhir Jaiswal. Responding to a question at the MEA's regular briefing in New Delhi, Jaiswal said the Indian government had no role to play in what was an event by a private media entity. "And the government does not endorse anything said at the Forum, especially with regard to the duly-constituted government of Bangladesh," he said. The MEA Spokesperson also said they continued to closely follow developments that happen in their neighborhood, keeping their national security interests in mind, and would take whatever measures have to be taken in that regard. Bangladesh was "outraged" that the absconding “convicted genocider” Sheikh Hasina was allowed on Wednesday evening to engage in live interaction with the media in New Delhi where she and her "henchmen launched venomous vitriol" against Bangladesh and her people, according to a terse statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) here in Dhaka Wednesday night. In it, MoFA said Dhaka deeply regrets that in spite of concerns conveyed a priori to the Government of India about the likely ramifications of this event on the reset of our bilateral relations, this public event was permitted to be held, the government said in a statement. On a day when the people of Bangladesh are observing the second anniversary of the July Revolution, this interaction by Sheikh Hasina on the Indian soil stands as an affront to the sovereignty of Bangladesh and a grievous insult to the martyrs of the July Revolution, the MoFA said. The denial of facts established by the United Nations, including gruesome killing of the innocent civilians including minor children during July-August 2024 by the fascist regime, stands as a futile attempt by the absconding convicted mass murderer Hasina and her criminal cohort to reverse the tide of history, said the government. "The people of Bangladesh rejected such heinous attempts in the past and continue to do so now," the statement reads. "Upholding the spirit of the July Revolution, our people have firmly resolved that our nation will never again go back to the dark days of fascism and that Bangladesh will never be a client State. Convicted mass murderer Hasina and her mafia enterprise will never have a place in the polity of Bangladesh," it said. Bangladesh said it desires to maintain a constructive, mutually beneficial, and forward-looking relationship with India based on sovereign equality, mutual respect, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, and national dignity. Regrettably, the Ministry said, Bangladesh’s repeated requests to the Government of India for returning convicted criminal Hasina to Bangladesh under the Extradition Treaty signed between Bangladesh and India in 2013, has not yet elicited a response. "On the contrary, allowing her the opportunity to openly interact with the media under any pretext is deeply hurtful to our people’s sentiment and detrimental to the development of harmonious bilateral relations between Bangladesh and India," said the Ministry.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi Tuesday inaugurated 'Maitri Setu', a bridge built over the Feni river flowing between the two countries.

India and Bangladesh have decided to conduct joint night patrols in vulnerable areas along the border in order to bring down frontier killings to zero. The two countries share a 4,096km-long international border.