MCCI has concerns about India's tarrif

New Delhi, Mar 22 (UNI) President of the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) of Bangladesh Latifur Rahman today expressed concerns of the Bangladesh industries about the access of Bangladeshi products and the need for India to look into the issues of tariff and non-tariff barriers with Bangladesh.

Addressing members of the Confederation of Indian Industry, he said that Bangladesh Industry had expectations from this visit of their Prime Minister to New Delhi, as now there seemed to be commitment on both sides, as well as awareness of the benefits to the complete region with an economically stronger Bangladesh.

''Between India and Bangladesh there is desire but a perception problem'', Mr Rahman said.

As part of Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's delegation, a group of MCCI members headed by its President Mr Rahman, was in India for exploring closer ties with Indian industry, as well as to attract investments and expand trade beyond the existing 2 billion dollar worth of official bilateral trade, said a CII release.

The MCCI and the CII met to carry forward the strengthening of business relations between the two neighbouring countries.

In his address to CII members, Latifur Rahman referred to the foresight shown by the CII, as far back as 1993, when it had projected the idea of 'Unilateral Market Access for Bangladesh', to benefit bilateral economic relations.

Secretary General, MCCI, CK Hyder urged the Indian industry to factor in sensitivities of local populations and while citing the phenomenal growth of Indian economy, he said that India needed to be generous. He also suggested that both MCCI and CII could be facilitators for doing business in their respective countries by not only briefing and familiarising potential businesses but also by providing policy inputs to open market.

Some specific concerns were about rules of origin, non-taxation of value added goods produced from Indian raw materials and the current trade imbalance, the CII release added.

UNI ARB SR RS1921