Pakistan-Bangladesh resume direct trade, first since 1971

Last Updated on February 24, 2025 6:23 am

Pakistan and Bangladesh have resumed direct government-to-government trade for the first time since the 1971 war of liberation. Express News reported on Saturday (February 22) that the first consignment of government-approved goods has now set sail from Pakistan’s Port Qasim.

This is being seen as a historic step for the trade relations between the two countries. The report said that Bangladesh has signed a deal with Pakistan to buy 50,000 tonnes of rice, which has been completed through the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP). The deal was finalized in early February.

The rice consignment will reach Bangladesh in two phases, with the first consignment of 25,000 tonnes currently on its way to Bangladesh. The second batch is planned to be sent in early March. The trade agreement will strengthen the economic ties between the two countries and help increase trade flows through direct shipping routes.

This is the first time that a ship of the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) will be heading to a Bangladesh port carrying government goods, which is being seen as a significant milestone in maritime trade relations. Which will help build economic cooperation between the two countries and reopen trade channels that have been dormant for decades.

On August 5, 2024, after the fascist Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government was ousted in the face of a mass uprising by students and the public, direct trade and shipping relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh resumed. This time, goods are coming from Pakistan at the government level.

The interim government of Bangladesh has decided to deepen trade relations with Pakistan, which will further strengthen economic cooperation between the two countries. Currently, both countries are planning to establish direct air links.