Bangladesh wants to import more limestone from Pakistan

Bangladesh wants to increase imports of limestone, a key raw material for the cement industry, from Pakistan to meet the growing demand for the construction input, Commerce Adviser Sk Bashir Uddin said yesterday.

He said Bangladesh requires about 50 million tonnes of limestone annually, all of which is imported.

Speaking after a meeting with Rana Ihsaan Afzal Khan, coordinator to the prime minister of Pakistan on commerce, at the commerce ministry in Dhaka, Bashir Uddin said Pakistan could also supply other construction stones, as it is a reliable source for such materials.

He called for stronger engagement between businesses in both countries to enhance trade.

Bashir Uddin also urged the creation of facilities to help Bangladeshi entrepreneurs gain better access to Pakistani markets and reduce the trade gap.

Afzal Khan, for his part, proposed steps to remove trade barriers between the two nations.

He also highlighted the need for improved direct communication, exchange of trade missions, and the removal of tariff and non-tariff barriers, according to a commerce ministry statement.