United News of Bangladesh

All charges and fees will be waved for non-scheduled additional flights for the next three days to ease passengers’ suffering after the fire incident at Dhaka airport, said Commerce Adviser Sk Bashir Uddin on Sunday. “A total of 21 flights were either diverted or cancelled on Saturday following the massive fire at the Cargo Village of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport,” he told reporters after inspecting the post-fire situation at the airport He said efforts began on Saturday night to assist passengers whose travel abroad was disrupted, particularly those traveling for jobs, medical treatment, or family emergencies. “Flight operations resumed at 9 pm last night and have been running uninterrupted since then,” he added. Expressing regret over passenger inconvenience, Sheikh Bashir Uddin said, “We arranged hotel accommodation, food, and other necessary support for affected passengers. Despite our efforts, we sincerely apologize for the hardship they faced.” Smoke still billowing from cargo village at Shahjalal Airport 23 hours after fire Regarding losses, he said, “Our damage assessment is ongoing. The area where imported goods were stored has been completely damaged. We are assessing the total loss by weight and sector.” Addressing concerns about the delay in firefighting, the adviser said, “As the airport is a KPI area it has its own firefighting unit which responded immediately upon receiving the alert. The Fire Service units arrived within about 10 minutes. In total, 37 units worked to bring the blaze under control with WASA assisting in water supply.” He added that all relevant investigation and intelligence agencies will work together to uncover the cause of the fire. “During the firefighting, it was not possible to remove the goods, but every aspect will be taken into account during the inquiry,” he said. Exporters scramble to assess losses after airport fire The adviser also said cargo operations have resumed, and commercial activities will continue round the clock seven days a week. “We are also reviewing the insurance coverage of the affected parties,” he added.

Describing China as Bangladesh’s largest trading partner, Commerce Adviser Sk Bashir Uddin on Friday said they must identify which intermediate industrial products can be manufactured in Bangladesh today, as this will strengthen the competitiveness of their industrial sector. "Bangladesh imports goods worth over $22 billion from China. Unfortunately, our exports come nowhere close to matching our imports from China. China is one of the most competitive sources for our imports," he said at the event in the capital. The adviser said Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen has taken many initiatives to diversify the export potential, including promoting exports like mangoes, but they still have much more to do. The adviser also emphasised fostering trade and investment between the two countries, and sought collective efforts. In order to comprehensively showcase the achievements of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) cooperation between Bangladesh and China, the second edition of the exhibition was inaugurated at the International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB). The Commerce Adviser inaugurated the two-day exhibition while Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen, Power, Energy and Mineral Additional Secretary Md Sobur Hossain, Additional Secretary & Wing Chief Economic Relation Division of Finance Ministry Mirana Mahrukh, and president of Chinese Enterprises Association in Bangladesh (CEAB) Han Kun, among others, were also present. Bashir Uddin said the road safety situation in Bangladesh is extremely alarming and the number of people who die on roads every year is staggering and they all feel very unsafe because of the highly unsafe commercial vehicles in the country. “We really need to improve this situation, and China can help us a lot in this regard. I was suggesting—why don’t some good Chinese companies come to Bangladesh and manufacture quality trucks? We have a large market. So, we need to utilize all the components of our nearly half-a-trillion-dollar economy and turn it into a one-trillion-dollar economy as soon as possible,” he said. Chinese Ambassador Yao said Bangladesh is the first country among the south Asian countries who responded to the BRI and it makes a new dimension. China rolls out 2-year plan to boost power equipment sector “China has taken economic and socio-economic development initiatives over the past 50 years. During the interim government, China has become a largest source of investment in Bangladesh. In the first half of this year, China's investment in Bangladesh increased by 254.3% since August last year,” he said. China is ready to cooperate with Bangladesh in trade and investment, he added. Md Sobur Hossain urged Chinese investors to invest in the renewable energy sector in Bangladesh and take its opportunity. Mirana Mahrukh said Bangladesh wants to strengthen the existing relationship with China. “We are committed to building a discrimination free Bangladesh. So, we need cooperation” she added. A total of 80 booths from 40 companies took part in the exhibition. Of this, 32 Chinese companies attended there. This international exhibition aims to boost Bangladesh–China cooperation in key sectors such as infrastructure, technology, energy, healthcare, logistics, and manufacturing. It features high-level B2B and G2B networking, and insightful seminars on trade, investment, and innovation.

Commerce Adviser Sk Bashir Uddin on Sunday said the trade between Bangladesh and India will continue in the interest of consumers and businesses of both the countries. “We have not yet received any official communication from the Indian side. Once we do, we will take appropriate steps. If any issues arise, both sides will work to resolve them through discussions,” he told reporters at the Secretariat. Referring to media reports, the adviser said, “We’ve learned from social media and media outlets that India has taken certain decisions affecting specific land ports, including Akhaura and Dawki, as well as some border areas.” Asked if these developments might negatively impact Bangladesh’s exports, Bashir Uddin said, “Not everything we export is affected. A large portion of our exports comes from the garment sector. Our focus remains on achieving competitiveness. The trade is beneficial to both countries. India also has a strong textile industry, yet they import our products based on our capabilities.” He expressed optimism that the trade would continue, saying, “This is in the interest of consumers and production sectors on both sides.” Bangladesh now a unique example of growth and development: Commerce Adviser On the matter of India’s reported restrictions on transshipment and exports, the adviser remarked, “Transshipment hasn’t had any significant impact on us. We’ve managed the situation using our own capacity.” Regarding the potential impact on Indian businesses, Bashir Uddin said, “Certainly, there will be effects. Trade is a matter of competitiveness, including transport costs. Sometimes we impose bans on agricultural imports, and so does India. This is part of the regular trade management process. Any arising issues will be addressed through dialogue.” When asked whether Dhaka plans to hold discussions with New Delhi, he responded, “We will take all necessary measures, but as of now, we have not received any official notification.” Addressing whether bilateral ties have influenced these decisions, the adviser said, “My responsibility is trade, and I intend to remain focused on that… I strongly support open trade. For me, trade liberalisation and inclusion are essential to building the capacity of our businesses and consumers.” Canadian investors can benefit from investing in Mirsarai: Commerce Adviser On how Bangladesh plans to reduce its growing trade deficit with India, he said, “This is a long-term challenge. Trade deficits cannot be eliminated overnight. What we import from India is based on proximity and necessity, and they do the same. It’s largely shaped by natural factors. Our goal is to diversify and improve competitiveness to expand trade.”