In a significant move against Bangladesh, India has imposed restrictions on the entry of Bangladeshi ready-made garments (RMG) and other products through its north-eastern land ports. These include Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram, Fulbari and Changrabandha in West Bengal. The decision has been taken following the controversial statement made by Bangladesh’s interim chief advisor Muhammad Yunus on India’s north-eastern states. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has imposed immediate port restrictions on the import of several categories of goods from Bangladesh, following a directive issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).

Restrictions Under New Directive

The new restrictions will force Bangladesh to reroute exports, including Ready-Made garments (RMG), plastics, melamine, furniture, juices, carbonated drinks, bakery items, confectionery, and processed foods through Kolkata port in West Bengal or Nhava Sheva port in Maharashtra. This will lead to an increase in logistics costs, putting pressure on Bangladeshi exporters.

Moreover, under this directive, the import of items such as fruit-flavoured and carbonated drinks, processed food, cotton waste, PVC and plastic finished goods (except approved industrial inputs), and wooden furniture has been restricted at Land Customs Stations (LCSs) and Integrated Check Posts (ICPs) in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram, and West Bengal’s Changrabandha and Fulbari.

The move is also seen as a response to Bangladesh’s recent curbs on Indian yarn, rice, and other goods, along with its decision to impose a transit fee on Indian cargo.

What Triggered The Block?

Notably, Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Yunus during a speech in China had described India’s north-eastern states as a “landlocked region with no access to the ocean.”

“The seven states of India, the eastern part of India, called the Seven Sisters, are a landlocked region of India. They have no way to reach out to the ocean. We are the only guardians of the ocean for all this region,” Yunus stated.

This remark was not taken by India in good light. In response, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar had emphasised that India’s northeastern region is emerging as a connectivity hub, with extensive infrastructure networks linking it to the Bay of Bengal, countering Yunus’s characterization of the area as landlocked.

“Our North-Eastern region in particular is emerging as a connectivity hub for the BIMSTEC. The IMT Trilateral Highway will connect India’s North East all the way to the Pacific Ocean,” Jaishankar posted on X.

Therefore, Yunus’ statement is likely one of the reasons behind Indian government’s curb on Bangladesh.