India to pay heed to Bangladesh PM's concerns regarding onion export ban: MEA

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said that the onions were banned in Bangladesh to increase the availability of the onions in domestic markets and contain price rise as extended monsoon has led to delayed harvests. MEA is trying to accommodate concerns raised by Bangladesh PM.

New Delhi: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is on a three-day visit to India and first since PM Modi's re-election, took the domestic leadership and business community by surprise when she talked about the inconvenience caused by New Delhi's decision to impose an export ban on onions last month.

Speaking at the India-Bangladesh Business Forum in New Delhi, Hasina said that she has urged her cook not to put onions in the food after the ban.

Responding to this query, the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, "we have seen the statement made by Bangladesh PM. We are trying to see how we can accommodate concerns raised by the PM of Bangladesh."

Though the Ministry of Commerce's sudden decision to ban the export of onions on September 29 doesn't violate any agreements it has forced Bangladesh to look Myanmar, Egypt, Turkey, and China.

Centre had to take this decision to increase the availability of the onions in domestic markets and contain price rise as extended monsoon has led to delayed harvests.

On Saturday, Bangladesh PM will start her day by meeting Minister of External Affairs, Dr S Jaishankar.

After that, she will meet PM Modi at Hyderabad House where both leaders will inaugurate three bilateral projects.

Later in the evening, Sheikh Hasina will meet the President of India.

Bangladesh is India's 8th largest export destination.

The bilateral trade between both countries has gone up to $10 bn in 2018.

While India has exported $8.8 bn goods to Bangladesh, Dhaka export to India has also $1 bn.