India-Bangladesh border trade points to release the consignment of onions

The Indian government has recently stated that it will make an exception to the ban on export to help tide over a crisis in the neighboring country.

Bangladesh will receive a large consignment of onions, after India decided to make an exception for Dhaka in the 14 September order that banned the export of onions.

A big consignment of onions meant for Bangladesh got stuck in West Bengal following the government’s order on banning exports of onions and it was only cleared after the external affairs ministry’s try’s intervention, said the people.

In an internal government communication seen by The Hindu, officials instructed India-Bangladesh border trade points to release the consignment of onions that Dhaka had already paid for before the ban order had come into effect.

The onion ban has caused a crisis in Bangladesh, with skyrocketing onion prices affecting the entire agriculture sector in the country. The neighboring country has sent an official note of protest to India saying such unexpected bans run counter to bilateral understandings reached in the recent past.

India and Bangladesh are due to review the entire gamut of ties at a meeting between their foreign ministers later this month.