Bangladesh to revive economic ties with India, China

September 13th, 2009 DHAKA - A cross-section of opinion makers in Bangladesh have welcomed a Dhaka-Delhi resolve to improve connectivity among the South Asian neighbours, but have expressed reservations on many counts. They see the development as a window of opportunity to improve economic ties with landlocked Bhutan and Nepal, but also lament the loss of a prospective market in India's north-eastern region.

September 9th, 2009 DHAKA - Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheiukh Hasina has dismissed as "bogus" the campaign against the country being connected to the proposed Asian Highway through India. Ruling out any possibility of threat to the sovereignty of the country from the proposed highway, she told parliament Wednesday that Bangladesh would have control over its parts of the routes that would make re-entry into India via Bangladesh.

September 3rd, 2009 MOSCOW - President Pratibha Devisingh Patil has expressed a desire to enhance bilateral trade ties with Russia. While addressing a gathering of expatriate Indians and some prominent Russians during the course of her five-day visit, Patil said, the only area where India-Russia relationship is lagging is in the field of bilateral economic cooperation.

August 21st, 2009 Akhaurah (India-Bangladesh Border), - Bangladesh has said it will increase trade and economic activities with India's northeast region and develop infrastructure at the border. Bangladesh Commerce Minister Colonel (retired) Faruk Khan said: "We have decided to increase trade and business with the northeastern region to reduce Bangladesh's trade gap with India.

July 24th, 2009 DHAKA - China is a victim of terrorism like Bangladesh and India and wants to join the UN-led campaign against terror, a Chinese diplomat has said. Chinese special envoy Zhou Gang met the Bangladeshi leadership Thursday to brief them of the developments in China's Xinjiang province that recently witnessed protests by the Uighur community.

July 24th, 2009 DHAKA - China has expressed support for talks between Dhaka and New Delhi over the proposed construction of Tipaimukh dam in India's Manipur state. The Barak river, on which the dam is to be built, flows from China into India and then goes to Bangladesh.

July 20th, 2009 DHAKA - An Indian trade delegation visiting Dhaka has urged Bangladesh to take steps to boost bilateral trade ties between the two countries. The appeal came at a seminar on "Bangladesh-India Economic Relations" at Hotel Sonargaon in Dhaka, reports the Daily Star.

July 19th, 2009 NEW DELHI - India-Bangladesh bilateral trade can double by 2011, says the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), which has suggested a multi-pronged action agenda for creating a favourable investment climate. According to FICCI, India's trade with Bangladesh increased from $1 billion in 2001-02 to $3.17 billion in 2007-08, more than three folds, mainly on the back of a 79.4 percent increase in India's exports.

July 5th, 2009 AGARTALA - Bangladesh's industry bodies want transit facilities for India to help it transport cargo to the northeast region through their country. According to them, transshipment can be done through Chittagong and Mongla international ports and Sherpur and Ashuganj river ports, besides through road and railways.

May 27th, 2009 DHAKA - Bangladesh is mooting a trans-border gas corridor connecting Iran and Myanmar through several countries including India. The move comes close on the heels of its decision to join the Asian rail and road highways, after staying away for years from joining the network.

April 16th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Thursday launched an India Business Forum (IBF) in China, a lobby to promote bilateral trade and economic cooperation between the two countries. The IBF will act as a forum for promoting India-China trade through collective and consensual approach and will also work with the Indian embassy in Beijing and others towards 'building brand India', the CII said in a statement released here.

April 9th, 2009 LONDON - The recent liberalisation of RBI removing the ban on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) from Bangladesh may lead towards a stable and secure trade relation between India and Bangladesh. India's decision to welcome investment from Bangladesh also, raises an expectation that foreign trade policies of both the countries will get further liberalized.

February 8th, 2009 DHAKA - India and Bangladesh Monday rejuvenated their multi-faceted ties by signing two economic pacts and joining hands to combat the growing menace of terrorism in the region. External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who is on a day-long visit to Dhaka, held talks with his Bangladeshi counterpart Dipu Moni on an entire gamut of bilateral issues, including security, terrorism, intensification of economic ties, border management and improving connectivity.

January 29th, 2009 NEW DELHI - India is ready to look at lowering further the number of items in the negative list for trade with least developed countries (LDCs) such as Bangladesh, a senior commerce ministry official said here Friday. 'We have already reduced the negative list from 765 to 480 items.

December 30th, 2008 NEW DELHI - Having correctly read Bangladesh's electoral mood, India now hopes that the new Awami League government will finally start cracking down on anti-India insurgents who have for long made that country their base. The presence in Bangladesh of leaders and key operatives of several militant groups from northeast India has been a thorn in bilateral ties that otherwise improved under the country's army-backed caretaker administration.