Dhaka, April 10, 2025: Bangladesh’s Ministry of Commerce convened an emergency meeting in Dhaka on Wednesday in response to India’s sudden withdrawal of the transshipment facility that had enabled Bangladesh to export goods to third countries, including Nepal, Bhutan, and Myanmar, via Indian land routes.
The high-level meeting, held at the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) office in Karwan Bazar, brought together key business leaders and senior officials from the Ministry of Commerce, as reported by the Dhaka Tribune. The urgency of the situation was underscored by India’s Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) decision to revoke, with immediate effect, a directive issued on June 29, 2020. That directive had authorized Bangladesh to utilize Indian ports, airports, and land borders for the transit of goods destined for third-country export.
Compounding the issue, Indian authorities have directed that all Bangladeshi consignments currently within Indian territory must exit the country without delay. This directive has triggered significant concern among Bangladeshi exporters and policymakers, given Bangladesh’s heavy reliance on Indian infrastructure for its exports to Bhutan, Nepal, and Myanmar. The decision has effectively disrupted a substantial portion of Bangladesh’s land-based trade with these nations.
In an attempt to assuage concerns, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has clarified that the withdrawal of the facility does not affect Bangladesh’s exports to Nepal and Bhutan through Indian land routes.
The situation remains complex, with the long-term implications for regional trade and India-Bangladesh relations still unfolding.
