On Friday (June 28, 2025), India banned nine types of goods import from Bangladesh by land route. The notification came into effect immediately, creating fresh concerns among exporters as it is the third phase of non-tariff barriers. While these nine products can be imported by sea through India’s Mumbai Navoseba port, exports through this route are relatively limited just 1 percent. As a result, India has effectively closed the easy and traditional export route completely.
Which products have been banned?
The list of 9 banned products includes—
•Flax yarn waste
•Raw jute
•Jute rolls
•Flax yarn
•Jute yarn
•Food grade yarn
•Linen fabrics
•Linen and cotton blended fabrics
•Least processed woven fabrics
Mainly jute and jute products are at the center of this ban.
Export Volume and Economic Impact
According to the National Board of Revenue (NBR), these 9 products were exported from Bangladesh to 88 countries in the 2023-24 fiscal year, with a monetary value of about $660 million (Tk 7,283 crore). The second largest export destination for these products was India, where products worth about $150 million were exported, about 23 percent of the total exports of these 9 products.
Read More: MSME Day 2025: Empowering Bangladesh’s Climate-Resilient Small Businesses
India’s three-point ban: in just three months
| Date | Action Taken | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| 9 April 2025 | Withdrawal of Bangladesh’s access to use Kolkata Airport for exports | Hindered Bangladesh’s air-route exports to the world |
| 17 May 2025 | Ban on land-route imports of garments, food, plastic goods, furniture, etc. | $500 million worth of exports affected (31%) |
| 28 June 2025 | Land-route ban on 9 types of jute-based products | $150 million worth of exports disrupted (9%) |
117 companies affected
The new ban will directly affect 117 Bangladeshi exporters who used to send goods to India via land routes. Top affected companies:
•Popular Jute Exchange (Narayanganj):
- Exports to India: $1.16 crore, 50% of total exports to India
•Janta Jute Mills (Narsingdi):
- Exports to India: $1.03 crore, 13% of total exports
Janta Jute Mills is a company of the Akij Bashir Group. The managing director of this group was trade advisor Sheikh Bashir Uddin.
When asked about this, Bangladesh Jute Spinners Association (BJSA) President Tapas Pramanik told Prothom Alo,
রাজনৈতিক কারণে নেওয়া ভারতের এমন সিদ্ধান্তের কারণে দেশটিতে বাংলাদেশের কাঁচা পাট, পাট সুতা, পাটপণ্যসহ ৯ ধরনের পণ্য রপ্তানি বাধাগ্রস্ত হবে। তবে পাট রপ্তানি কতটা ক্ষতিগ্রস্ত হবে, সেটি বিশ্লেষণের জন্য বিজেএসএ ৩০ জুন বৈঠক করবে। এরপর সরকারের করণীয় ঠিক করার অনুরোধ জানিয়ে যোগাযোগ করা হবে বস্ত্র ও পাট মন্ত্রণালয়ের সঙ্গে।
Translation: India’s decision, taken for political reasons, will hamper Bangladesh’s exports of 9 types of products, including raw jute, jute yarn, and jute products, to the country. However, the BJSA will hold a meeting on June 30 to analyze how much jute exports will be affected. After that, the Ministry of Textiles and Jute will be contacted with a request to decide what the government should do.
When asked whether the land route is closed but the sea route is open, Tapas Pramanik said,
‘তা আছে। তবে জাহাজে করে মুম্বাইয়ের নভোসেবা বন্দর ঘুরে যদি পণ্য নিয়ে যেতে হয় পশ্চিমবঙ্গে, তাহলে ব্যাপারটা কেমন দাঁড়াবে, সেটি সহজেই অনুমেয়। তবে আমি মনে করি, সরকারের পক্ষ থেকে এ বিষয়ে ভারতের সঙ্গে কথা বলা ও আপত্তি জানানো উচিত।’
Translation: “It is. However, if the goods have to be transported to West Bengal by ship via Mumbai’s Navoseba Port, then it is easy to imagine how the situation will be. However, I think the government should talk to India about this and raise objections.”
Source: Prothom Alo
