International
Dhaka wants duty-free access for 25 items
By Haroon Habib
DHAKA, JAN. 7. Though Dhaka is yet to give the green signal, the postponed Commerce Secretary-level talks between India and Bangladesh are likely to be held as soon as India proposes the new dates - January 19-20.
The talks, previously scheduled for December last year, were abruptly postponed as the Indian side reportedly declined to attend the meeting due to ``difference of opinion''.
Sources said the Ministry of Commerce will pass through ``a very busy schedule'' throughout January due to the visits of the Chinese Prime Minister and a U.S. Congressional Committee and the scheduled visit of the Pakistani Commerce Minister. The Government's decision whether to accept or reject the new dates would be communicated to India soon, the sources said.
Bangladesh and India are locked in a debate over Dhaka's long-standing demand for duty-free access of 25 categories of items to India to reduce the huge trade deficit. ``It is just a goodwill gesture since both of us want to reduce the trade gap,'' said one top official.
However, a fresh uncertainty arose as India began insisting on tariff concessions on a reciprocal basis and demanded duty concessions from Bangladesh for 90 items. According to Bangladesh, India now wants a clear-cut decision from Bangladesh on about 90 Indian items.
As per Bangladesh's demand, the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, had announced, in 1999, that his country would give duty-free access for 25 categories of Bangladeshi items. Following the announcement, Bangladesh submitted a list of 25 items to the Indian authority through its High Commission in New Delhi.
Asked about the duty-free items, the Commerce Minister of Bangladesh, Amir Khasru Mahmud, said: ``We do not want to involve any other issue in getting duty-free facilities for export of our 25 categories of items.''
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