Nepal, Bangladesh resume talks on preferential trade deal after years of deadlock
Summary
Nepal and Bangladesh are resuming bilateral talks in Dhaka aiming to finalize a preferential trade agreement and address tariff barriers, to boost economic relations and sub-regional connectivity.
Key Points
- Nepal and Bangladesh will hold commerce secretary-level talks in Dhaka to resume negotiations on a bilateral Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA).
- Nepal is pushing for the removal of high tariff and para-tariff charges imposed by Bangladesh on Nepali goods as a precondition to signing the PTA.
- The talks will also cover broader trade, investment cooperation, transit and connectivity issues including use of inland waterways and railway routes.
- Nepal’s exports to Bangladesh remain limited and concentrated mainly in agricultural products, while imports from Bangladesh have steadily risen, highlighting limited overall trade integration.
