DHAKA, Feb 27 (Alliance News): Pakistan and Bangladesh have officially commenced direct government-to-government trade after decades of strained relations, with Bangladesh importing 50,000 tonnes of rice from Pakistan, Dhaka confirmed on Tuesday.
The agreement follows the ousting of former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024, which led to a shift in regional alliances. Since then, relations between Bangladesh and India have cooled, paving the way for Islamabad and Dhaka to strengthen economic ties.
Ziauddin Ahmed, a senior food ministry official in Dhaka, said that this is the first government-to-government deal between the two nations, marking a significant step in bilateral trade. Bangladesh’s Directorate General of Food signed a memorandum of understanding with the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) in January for the rice imports.
Ahmed emphasized that trade with Pakistan offers “a new avenue of sourcing and competitive pricing” as Bangladesh previously relied on India, Thailand, and Vietnam for rice imports.
Bangladesh, home to 170 million people, is highly vulnerable to climate change, with frequent floods and cyclones impacting food security. This deal is expected to diversify and stabilize the country’s rice supply.
While private Bangladeshi companies have imported Pakistani rice in the past, shipments previously had to be off-loaded onto feeder vessels in Sri Lanka, Malaysia, or Singapore before reaching Bangladesh.
The direct trade route eliminates this costly step, further enhancing economic cooperation.
