Bangladesh has requested the Indian government to withdraw the ban imposed on onion export as soon as possible, keeping the import flow of onion from India uninterrupted.
Bangladesh expects a positive outcome in this regard soon.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam disclosed the matter while talking to reporters at his office on Tuesday, reports UNB.
He said Bangladesh raised the issue with the Indian Ministry of External Affairs through Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi immediately after noticing the ban.
Shahriar said there is an unwritten understanding that India will inform Bangladesh beforehand while taking any decision on such a ban.
He referred to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's remarks which she made during her Delhi visit in October 2019 on the same issue when India imposed a ban on onion export.
“I wish you had informed us before suddenly putting a halt in export of onions. I had to tell my cook I’ve no other option but to have my food without onions. I would request India to please inform us before taking such an action. After all, we’re neighbours,” Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said in Hindi at a program in India in October last year (according to Indian media).
After that, onion import from India became normal.
The State Minister said those who went for stocking onions to hike the prices suffered financial losses as Bangladesh imported onions from other countries also.
Shahriar said the Ministry of Commerce is looking into the onion issue.
Sharad Pawar urges Indian govt to lift ban on onion export
Veteran Indian politician and Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar has requested the Indian government to lift ban on onion exports, saying “this decision has led to strong reactions from the onion growing belt in Maharashtra”.
In a series of tweets both in English and Hindi on Tuesday, he said he had discussed the matter with Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and urged him to reconsider the decision of banning the export of onion, reports BSS.
“The central government has abruptly announced a ban on onion exports. This has led to strong reaction in the onion growing belt in Maharashtra & therefore the representatives of various political parties contacted & requested me to convey their demands to Central Government,” he tweeted.
He added: “Following the above request, I urge Piyush Goyalji to reconsider this decision of banning export of onion. Piyush Goyal said that the ban on onion exports was proposed by the Union Ministry of Consumer Protection on the basis of rising onion prices in the market [India].”
Pawar said the commerce minister has assured him that he [Piyush Goyal] will reconsider the ban in consultation with the Union Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Consumer Protection.
In separate tweets, Pawar wrote: “The ban jeopardizes India’s export share in the onion markets of Gulf countries, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.”
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) of India on Monday issued a notification imposing restrictions on onion export with immediate effect. This decision has posed a negative impact on onion markets in Bangladesh.
However, Bangladesh mission in New Delhi sources said the mission officials are maintaining communications with the ministries concerned so that they revoke the ban on onion export.