REFAYET ULLAH MIRDHA

There is little possibility this year of the initiation of official negotiations between Bangladesh and India for the signing of a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (Cepa).

Bangladesh is prepared but India wants more time to go over preliminary findings of a feasibility study jointly conducted by the two countries, said Senior Commerce Secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh.

Though there is one and a half months to go for this year, the possibility of the negotiations to begin is low, he told The Daily Star over the phone.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in a joint statement on September 7, 2022 had agreed to start the negotiations on welcoming the study, which stated that a Cepa would be beneficial for both countries.

They directed trade officials to start the negotiations within 2022 and complete it at the earliest, so that Bangladesh can better face the challenges of making the United Nations country status graduation to a developing nation in 2026.

Bangladesh afterwards provided some bilateral trade data on India’s request for further scrutiny, said Ghosh, adding that the commerce ministry has already formed two panels to conduct the negotiations.

A Foreign Office Consultation meeting is also scheduled to be held in Dhaka on November 28 where