May 18, Kathmandu- India's Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry has imposed immediate port restrictions on various categories of goods imported from Bangladesh, following a directive issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).

According to a report by trade-focused research group Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), India's ban on imports from Bangladesh through land ports will affect goods worth US$770 million, which is about 42 percent of total bilateral imports.

The Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry has announced a ban on imports of various categories of goods from Bangladesh with immediate effect.

Following this decision, major items such as garments, processed food items and plastic goods are now restricted to seaports or completely banned from land routes.

According to the new policy, Bangladeshi textiles worth USD 618 million annually will now be allowed to enter India only through two designated ports.

The decision will seriously affect Bangladesh's most lucrative export channel to India, according to GTRI.