International Desk

Bangladesh-India trade, which was disrupted in the wake of the unrest in Bangladesh and the resignation of Sheikh Hasina, remained stalled on Tuesday, traders said.

West Bengal Exporters Coordination Committee secretary Ujjal Saha said trade through land ports in the state has been halted due to "non-clearance of goods by Bangladesh customs, resulting in hundreds of trucks being lined up in parking lots".

Trade between the two countries through land ports at Petrapole, Gojadanga, Mahadipur, and Fulbari in West Bengal has been affected, while some passenger movement has been reported but turnout remains low, sources said.

Trade through Petrapole, the largest land port, remains closed as the Benapole customs in Bangladesh continued to be non-functional.

India’s Engineering Export Promotion Council chairman Arun Kumar Garodia expressed concern over the political developments in Bangladesh, noting the significant impact on Indian exporters.

Bangladesh, a key destination for Indian engineering products, saw a drop in exports to USD 542.1 million during April-June period of 2024-25 fiscal, a decrease of 8.2 per cent from the previous year.

Bangladesh is India’s largest trade partner in South Asia, and India is the second-largest trade partner for Bangladesh in Asia. India’s exports to Bangladesh fell to USD 11 billion in 2023-24 from USD 12.21 billion in 2022-23, while imports decreased to USD 1.84 billion from USD 2 billion in the same period.

India’s main exports to Bangladesh include vegetables, coffee, tea, spices, sugar, confectionery, refined petroleum oil, chemicals, cotton, iron and steel, and vehicles, while major imports are fish, plastic, leather, and apparel.

Bangladesh’s exports to India are heavily concentrated in textiles and garments which constitute 56 per cent of their exports.