India, BD plan joint task forces for infrastructure, tech
Bangladesh and India are gearing up to deepen bilateral economic engagement, aiming to convert geographical proximity into concrete commercial gains through expanded trade, investment, industrial cooperation, and direct private-sector participation.
During a high-level meeting at the Secretariat on Tuesday, Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir met with an 18-member delegation from the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), led by Director General Chandrajit Banerjee.
The discussion centered on dismantling existing trade barriers, expanding business-to-business (B2B) linkages, and transitioning from diplomatic dialogue to actionable commercial outcomes.
Underscoring the need to restore trade momentum affected by recent restrictions, Muktadir called for bilateral talks to return cross-border commerce to previous levels.
He advocated for multi-year visas for business professionals and medical patients, highlighting that simplified travel norms are essential to boost cross-border investment and professional exchanges.
To operationalise these ambitions, the CII delegation proposed establishing two dedicated joint task forces. The first task force will focus on infrastructure, with an emphasis on scaling up private investment and public-private partnerships (PPPs).
The second task force will target high-tech and future industries, exploring strategic joint ventures in semiconductors, green hydrogen, battery storage, and regional data centers.
Addressing logistics delays, Indian business representatives emphasized the urgency of boosting local manufacturing in Bangladesh. Citing a joint venture with Energypac, delegates noted that shipments via land ports currently take between 40 to 45 days a bottleneck that local production facilities could dramatically reduce.
In line with this strategy, Indian firms expressed keen interest in establishing a modern, integrated fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) facility near Dhaka for homecare and personal care products.
Additionally, the delegation pressed for rationalizing duty structures on energy-efficient steam technologies, which could cut natural gas consumption by 10pc to 35pc across Bangladesh’s textile, readymade garments (RMG), and food-processing sectors.
The meeting also addressed human capital development, exploring internship opportunities for Bangladeshi youth in Indian firms and seeking smoother resolutions for visa challenges faced by Bangladeshi engineers working for international companies.
With both sides agreeing to move swiftly from dialogue to delivery, the proposed joint task forces are set to establish a structured institutional framework for upcoming cross-border investments.
