Deficit with India $9,246 million, total trade deficit $24.17 billion: commerce minister in Parliament
Photo: Collected
Among SAARC countries, Bangladesh’s trade deficit is the largest with India. In the 2025-26 fiscal year, the deficit with the country stood at $9,246.41 million. Bangladesh’s total trade deficit with various countries of the world is $24.17 billion.
Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir gave the information in reply to separate questions during the question-and-answer session in Parliament today (Sunday). The question-and-answer session was held first after the sitting began with Deputy Speaker Kaiser Kamal in the chair.
According to the minister’s information, the deficit arose because export earnings were lower than imports.
Replying to a question from Nilofar Chowdhury Moni, MP from a reserved women’s seat, the minister said that in the 2024-25 fiscal year Bangladesh imported goods worth $79.36 billion against exports of $55.19 billion. As a result, the trade deficit stood at $24.17 billion that fiscal year. During this period, Bangladeshi goods went to 202 destinations.
The minister said 84 per cent of the country’s export trade comes from the readymade garment sector. However, once Bangladesh becomes a developing country, it may lose preferential market access under various trading schemes; this could hurt exports worth $17.5 billion.
The figures on trade with India came in reply to a written question from NCP MP Nahid Islam of Dhaka-11. The minister said Bangladesh exported goods worth $1,802.17 million to India in the 2025-26 fiscal year. Against this, imports from the country stood at $11,048.58 million. As a result, the trade deficit between the two countries stood at $9,246.41 million.
He further said Bangladesh-India bilateral trade stood at $11,388.33 million in the 2024-25 fiscal year. Of this, Bangladesh’s exports were $1,764.23 million.
Replying to a question from Md Abul Kalam, MP for Cumilla-9, the minister said export orders worth Tk 224.26 crore were received at the 2026 Dhaka International Trade Fair. The figure was Tk 392 crore at the 2025 fair; compared with that, it fell by 42.79 per cent this time.
The government is working sincerely to keep the market for essential goods stable, prevent artificial crises and curb irregularities by dishonest traders, the minister said in reply to a question from Selim Reza, MP for Sirajganj-1.
He told Md Abdul Gafur, MP for Kushtia-2, that Bangladesh imports medicines from about 72 countries.
Replying to a question from Shahjahan Chowdhury, MP for Chattogram-15, the commerce minister said the government is giving top priority to ensuring adequate supply in the market to keep the prices of essentials, including rice, lentils, oil and onions, stable. To support low-income people, approval exists to provide food items at subsidised prices to about one crore families through TCB; currently about 78 lakh families receive a fixed quantity of food items every month.
He also said the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection and district administrations are jointly conducting regular drives to curb syndicates and manipulation in the market.
Replying to a question from Md Keramat Ali, MP for Chapainawabganj-1, the minister said that as a member of SAFTA and APTA, Bangladesh enjoys duty-free and quota-free access to the Indian market for all products except 25 tobacco and alcohol items.
Replying to another question from the same MP, the commerce minister said that, according to import-export data, Bangladesh has trade deficits with SAARC members Afghanistan, Bhutan, India and Pakistan. Among these countries, the deficit is largest with India.
According to the minister’s figures, Bangladesh’s trade deficit with India was $7,860 million in the 2024-25 fiscal year. During that period, imports from the country stood at $9,624 million against exports of $1,764 million to India.
Replying to a supplementary question from Nadia Pathan Papon, MP from a reserved women’s seat, Abdul Muktadir said the government expects supply of goods to be better in the coming Ramadan than last year. Considering the current market situation, prices can be expected to remain tolerable in the coming Ramadan too, unless there is a natural disaster or a major change in the international situation.
Background
According to a report by The Daily Star Bangla on 30 October, the UN General Assembly has given Bangladesh and Nepal three more years of preparation before graduating from the least developed country (LDC) list; as a result, Bangladesh will enjoy duty-free market access in its main export destinations until November 2029.
By the numbers
The same report said that on LDC graduation, Bangladesh’s export goods would have faced an average tariff of 12.50 per cent.
At a glance
According to a Desh Rupantor report of 24 July, Bangladesh was placed on the LDC list in 1975; by virtue of being on the list, the country has been enjoying various benefits, including duty-free facilities for exports.
Sources
Background sources: The Daily Star Bangla, 30 October 2026; Desh Rupantor, 24 July 2026
