By Rafiul Hasan (Decca, Bangladesh)

Bangladesh and Pakistan are two of the friendliest nations within the Indian Sub-continent and across the world. People may often believe that these two are rival nations because Bangladesh achieved independence fighting against Pakistan in 1971. But since then, the two countries have always helped each other to redevelop the structure and economy.

Though India helped Bangladesh during the liberation war in many ways, they tend to disrupt the development of the Bangladeshi people and government in many ways. But thankfully, that has not been the case with Pakistan. The government and people of Pakistan have always been there for Bangladesh to work and regroup to develop a relationship between Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Subsequently, the present Prime Minister's Sheikh Hasina Wajed and Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, have been working relentlessly for the cooperation and growth of both these nations. In the proceeding paragraphs we have viewed relationship between Bangladesh and Pakistan from various angles.

Bangladesh and Pakistan have always been two peace-loving nations. That is why the little disruption created by political allegations related to Jamat-e-Islami in March 2020 hadn’t affected the trades between the two countries. Bangladeshi Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen told the TON on 10 March 2021, "For the larger advantage of our country, we shall maintain connections with everyone."

The Pakistani Minister for Foreign Affairs spokeswoman, Aisha Farooqui, stated, “ Our nation has a great interest in improving and consolidating bilateral relations and relations of the people with Bangladesh." Farooqui added, "We have solid historical ties, and we want to have collaborative relations with one another.”

An Insight into the bilateral trade between these two countries:

• During the fiscal year 2019-20, the Bangladesh-Pakistan bilateral trade totaled USD 543.90 million.

• Bangladesh's export to Pakistan was US$50.54 million, of which a total of US$493.36 million were imported from Pakistan.

• President Shams Mahmud of the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI) announced the information during a debate when High Commissioner Imran Ahmed Siddiqui called him to Bangladesh at the DCCI headquarters on 12 June, 2020. Both discussed concerns of bilateral trade and investment.

• In this capacity, Imran Ahmed Siddiqui recently noted that Bangladesh had grown tremendously in the services sector for IT and IT. He advised Bangladeshi entrepreneurs to invest in Pakistan to make use of this potential and skill. 

• Mr. Siddiqui also sought to import various industrial raw materials and textiles from Pakistan by industrial workers in Bangladesh.

• He claimed that the advantage of the China–Pakistan Economic Corrida (CPEC) is for Bangladeshi investors in Pakistan to quickly reach their commodities at a reduced rate in China, Central Asia and Russia.

• The High Commissioner of Pakistan further stressed the need for cooperative cooperation, particularly on transferring research and technology.

Below here, we have put down tabular data for your understanding of the fact that Pakistan exports quite a good amount of goods to Bangladesh and earns a wealthy value. The table mentioned here is from 2020:

Below here, we have put down a paragraph describing Bangladesh’s exports to Pakistan:

Import from Bangladesh to Pakistan

Pakistan is exporting more than importing from Bangladesh to Bangladesh. Pakistani companies are encouraged to import more from Bangladesh to balance trade. To balance the work, The High Commission would be delighted to help every business person import from Bangladesh. Any company plan to import from Bangladesh may contact the High Commissioner (contact information can be found on the "List of Clerks" page). Current importers must send an invitation for future activities of the High Commission to the High Commission for enrollment.

Each potential importer shall discover a precious one-stop-online source of government information to import and export from Bangladesh on the Bangladesh Trade Portal.

The following are a broad list of items that Bangladesh can export competitively:

• Woven clothing,

• Knitwear,

• Home Textile Jute products,

• Leather products,

• Handicraft Potteries,

• Ceramic Food products.

The increased export prospect from Bangladesh to Pakistan seems to be the following products:

• Silk & crafts

• ceramics

• electronics

• Bikes

• Products created from the leather

• Products from the plastic sector

• Ready-made clothes and knitwear

• Chemical products

The Demands and Scopes of Exporting Bangladesh’s National Fiber “Jute” to Pakistan:

The government of Pakistan has adopted a plan for importing raw jute from Bangladesh to promote exports from Pakistan of processes based on jute goods. While Bangladesh and India are the world's two top growers of jute, Bangladesh, as Pakistan has suspended its trade with India. In the early 1970s, the jute industry was created, but the increasing use of plastic packaging has reduced demand. There are currently only five or six mills that meet meagre domestic demand and exports to only a few nations. The bilateral relations between the two will be improved. Despite many think that Bangladesh and Pakistan have political affairs mostly, it is a matter of fact that these two nations are working hand in hand for the development and sake of their respective people.