Tripura Officials Hold High-Level Meeting on New Import Restrictions from Bangladesh

The key focus of the meeting was to assess implications of DGFT's latest order and streamline its enforcement.

In response to the Government of India’s recent directive restricting the import of select goods from Bangladesh through land ports, a high-level meeting was convened on Monday at the Integrated Check Post (ICP) in Agartala.

The meeting, chaired by Shailesh Kumar Yadav, Director of Tripura’s Industries & Commerce Department, included senior officials from Customs, the Border Security Force (BSF), the Land Port Authority of India, Immigration, and representatives of importer-exporter associations from across the state.

The key focus of the meeting was to assess the implications of the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT)’s latest order and streamline its enforcement at the ground level. Issued on Saturday, the DGFT notification mandates that certain items from Bangladesh can now only be imported through the seaports of Nhava Sheva and Kolkata, effectively halting their entry via land ports.

Among the restricted items are ready-made garments, fruit-flavoured and carbonated beverages, processed foods such as snacks and confectionery, cotton and cotton waste, plastic products, dyes, and wooden furniture.

Director Shailesh Kumar Yadav clarified to the media that essential imports into Tripura—including fish, stone chips, edible oil, and LPG—remain unaffected by the new restrictions. He assured that the meeting’s objective was to ensure smooth coordination among agencies and compliance by stakeholders.

“While there were initial concerns from the business community, we have addressed their queries, and all sides have agreed to cooperate with the directive,” Yadav said.

Trade representatives present at the meeting expressed support for the decision, describing it as a temporary and strategic move taken in the national interest. They remained optimistic that the restrictions would not severely affect bilateral trade and hoped for an early resolution.

This move comes in the backdrop of earlier trade tensions, including Bangladesh’s ban on Indian yarn imports via land and India’s cancellation of a trans-shipment facility for Bangladeshi goods bound for third countries.

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