Anti-dumping issue dropped from India-BD Secy level talks

Bangladesh has failed to discuss the issue of anti-dumping (AD) in a bilateral trade meet with India as it (India) observes that the anti-dumping issue is a 'quasi-judicial matter' and has expressed its unwillingness to discuss the issue at the annual Bangladesh-India commerce secretary level meeting that concluded on March 4 at New Delhi.
"The Indian side has 'taken note' of Bangladesh's demand and put forward it to higher authorities," officials said without elaborating.
Although the matter was prominently discussed in the last commerce secretary level meeting held in Dhaka on March last year, but no significant headway was made yet to this end.
However, both the sides have agreed to open border haats and ensure 24- hour operation of Integrated Check Post (ICP) at
Benapole-Petrapole soon to facilitate trade between the two neighbouring countries. It was closed for long and full time operation in Benapole-Petrapole ICP was hampered due to Covid-19 restrictions.
"Discussion was also held on development of railway
infrastructure, port infrastructure, Joint Study on Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), Regional connectivity through Multi-ModalTransportation, Harmonization of Standards
and Mutual Recognition Agreement," a statement issued by the Indian Commerce Ministry said on Saturday.
"Both the sides held extensive discussion on a variety of issues of mutual interest when significant progress was made on multimodal connectivity between Bangladesh and India," the statement said.
All these decision were taken at the annual Bangladesh-India
commerce secretary level meeting at New Delhi.
The Bangladesh side also raised the issues of India's recognition on BSTI standard certificate on more products, duty free access of Bangladeshi products to Indian markets and India's new Customs rules (CAROTAR, 2020), sources said.
Official said several anti-dumping cases on Bangladesh's export to India remained unresolved for years. India always brands the (anti-dumping) issue as a quasi-judicial matter since the first draft of the agreement--- memorandum of understanding (MoU) on bilateral trade remedial measures.
The meeting also approved a Detailed Project Proposal (DPP) for developing container handling facility at Sirajganj Bazar to facilitate bilateral trade and agreed to strengthen regional connectivity through multi-model transport, the statement said.
Besides, finalisation of joint study report on Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and development of infrastructure at border Customs stations and land ports in bordering areas also came up in the discussion prominently, they added.
Bangladesh Commerce Secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh and his Indian counterpart
BVR Subrahmanyam led their respective sides at the meeting. Representatives of relevant departments from both the countries joined the meeting. The meeting was preceded by the 14th meeting of the Joint Working Group (JWG) on Trade, at the level of joint and additional secretaries of the ministry of commerce of both the countries.
The next meetings of the JWG and Commerce Secretaries will be held in Bangladesh, at mutually convenient dates, Indian Commerce Ministry said.
According to official sources, Bangladesh's export to India has shown a remarkable increase during the past several years. Data shows that total  trade volume between India and Bangladesh in 2020-2021 financial year was about 9.9 billion US Dollars.
Of the total, Bangladesh's export to India was 1.3 billion US Dollars during the period, the highest in the history.