Trucks will reach China from Chattogram in 24 hours once BCM road opens: commerce minister in Sylhet

Commerce Minister Khandker Abdul Muktadir has said that once the proposed Bangladesh-Myanmar-China (BCM) road link is launched, cargo trucks will be able to reach Chinese territory from Chattogram in just 24 hours. This will increase Bangladesh's trade with neighbouring countries, he said.

The commerce minister made the remarks while answering journalists' questions on Friday (6 November) after attending the 12th anniversary programme of Sylhet Central Dental Care at Hotel Windsor in Sylhet.

On the prospect of road connectivity between Bangladesh and China, the minister said, 'If the communication system is upgraded to this level, our trade will increase with both countries, with Myanmar as well as with China. When trade increases, relations develop. And increasing trade with other countries is our goal at all times.'

On the country's trade deficit, the commerce minister said, 'Since independence, Bangladesh's import spending has been higher than its export earnings. This is not unusual. Because many raw materials for the products Bangladesh exports have to be imported from abroad. They are then processed and exported as finished products. Many countries in the world have such a trade situation.'

Stressing the need to diversify export products to reduce the trade deficit, he said, 'Our main goal in the coming days will be to bring more diversity to export products.'

He also spoke of plans to increase export capacity in various sectors beyond readymade garments, including leather, shipbuilding, non-leather products and jute goods.

The commerce minister believes export diversification will be possible if these sectors can be made more competitive in the international market.

He said, 'If the capacity of these sectors can be increased, the country's export earnings will rise and there will be more balance in foreign trade.'