Bangladesh seeks faster business visas, balanced economic ties with India

Dhaka: Bangladesh has called for faster issuance of business visas for its nationals travelling to India and urged greater ease of doing business as it seeks to build an economic partnership with New Delhi that is "equally beneficial".

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam said Bangladesh want businesses and private sectors of the two countries to "communicate more frequently", Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported on Wednesday.

"Business visas for Bangladeshis should be issued more quickly so that businesspeople can travel to India more frequently," she said at a reception here on Tuesday night.


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The minister also stressed on the need to address "non-tariff barriers, standards and testing-related difficulties, procedural delays, and infrastructure constraints that affect the smooth movement of goods and services".

Islam said Bangladesh wanted "more vibrant trade, investment and communication" between the two countries and that greater predictability and ease of doing business would benefit businesses on both sides.

Dhaka wants to see an economic partnership with New Delhi that is "equally beneficial and brings tangible changes" to the lives of people, she said.

"I am confident that the business communities of our two countries have both the vision and the capacity to make this happen. We can collectively identify practical solutions to the challenges," Islam said at the reception hosted by the Indian High Commission in honour of leading Bangladeshi business leaders and a delegation from the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

Islam said India remained a major trading partner of Bangladesh and bilateral trade had grown significantly over the years, but acknowledged that it remained "structurally imbalanced and much lower than its actual potential".

The minister said the objective should be to expand the overall economic partnership, overcome challenges, and create greater opportunities for trade, business, and investment on both sides.

She invited greater Indian investment in Bangladesh, highlighting its large domestic market, industrial workforce, competitive production capabilities and geographical proximity to regional markets.

"Our economic zones provide Indian companies with opportunities to establish dedicated manufacturing and export facilities. We would particularly welcome investments that bring technology, integrate local suppliers, and create employment. And, in the process, connect Bangladeshi products to regional and global value chains," Islam said.

Such investments, she said, could also help connect Bangladeshi products to regional and global value chains.

The minister said Indian companies with established distribution networks could increase sourcing from Bangladesh in sectors where the country's industries were already competitive, including ready-made garments, textiles, jute and jute products, leather and footwear, pharmaceuticals, agro-processing, ceramics, plastics and light engineering.

Bangladesh is India's largest trading partner in South Asia, and India is one of Bangladesh's largest export destinations in Asia. As of February 2025-26, total bilateral trade turnover stands at approximately USD 11.35 billion.

Under the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA), India provides duty-free and quota-free market facilities for almost all Bangladeshi products.

India is one of the largest export destinations in Asia for Bangladeshi products.