Bangladesh and India discussed lifting Dhaka’s restrictions on Indian yarn imports through land ports, alongside reopening closed border haats and bringing land ports into full operation as the two neighbouring countries seek to strengthen bilateral trade.

India yesterday said its withdrawal of transshipment facility to Bangladesh for third-country exports should be seen in the backdrop of “some of the developments” that preceded it.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has restricted yarn imports through land ports to protect the local textile and spinning sector from Indian imports of the raw material — a move hailed by textile millers but opposed by garment and knitwear exporters.