India, Bangladesh to work towards FTA

New Delhi, October 1

India and Bangladesh have agreed to begin the ground work for an expanded free trade agreement. The 15th meeting of the Joint Working Group on Trade (JWG) between the two nations held in Dhaka discussed a host of issues on commencement of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, said an official statement.

Other topics of discussion aimed at stepping up the intensity of trade were removal of port restrictions, harmonisation and mutual recognition of standards, supply of essential commodities to Bangladesh, development of road and rail infrastructure, regional connectivity through multi-modal transportation and strengthening of infrastructure in land customs stations/integrated checkposts, border haats, etc.

The meeting on September 26 and 27 was co-chaired by Commerce Ministry Joint Secretary Vipul Bansal and his Bangladesh counterpart Noor Mohd Mahbubul Haq. The JWG meets annually and plays a vital role in quick resolution of bilateral issues to facilitate smoother cross-border trade.

Focus on better regional connectivity

The joint working group that met in Dhaka recently also discussed development of road and rail infrastructure, regional connectivity through multi-modal transportation and strengthening of infrastructure in land customs stations and integrated check posts.