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India-Bangladesh Chamber launched

Haroon Habib

DHAKA: In a major initiative to boost Bangladesh-India trade the trade leaders of the two countries have formally launched the India-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IBCCI) on Sunday.

The Bangladesh President, Iajuddin Ahmed, inaugurated the first-ever joint chamber in the capital amid cheers by private sector entrepreneurs, business and Government leaders and officials of the two countries. Union Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh attended the function as special guest.

Mr. Ramesh, who arrived here on Saturday, hoped that soon this chamber would emerge as ‘a powerful force for sustained collaboration’ between the two economies and for ‘deeper partnerships’ between the two societies. India, he remarked, is “firmly committed to seeing and assisting in the emergence of economically strong and prosperous Bangladesh.”

The Indian Minister, however, acknowledged ‘widespread sentiment’ in Bangladesh that its export to India had not grown impressively. While expressing the highest optimism for reducing the trade gap, Mr. Ramesh suggested removal of non-tariff barriers of both the countries to make the gap reduced.

Referring to Bangladesh’s ‘unwillingness to improve connectivity,’ he pointed out that “many of our proposals to deepen commercial ties are pending… for long time.”

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