Siliguri (West Bengal) [India], May 19 (ANI): The North Bengal Exporters Association has welcomed the central government's decision to impose port restrictions on the import of certain goods, such as readymade garments and processed food items from Bangladesh.

Brij Kishore Prasad, the Secretary of the Association, said that the decision is in the country's interest and will also impact Bangladesh's economy.

'We welcome the decision of the Government of India. It is in the interest of our country. It will impact the economy of Bangladesh. We heartily welcome it, and this is good for us as well as for the countrymen. We are with the country,' Prasad told ANI.

Earlier, Foreign Affairs Expert Robinder Sachdev claimed that the decision to impose restrictions sends a clear message of vigilance and was a strict response to a few concerning developments in India's eastern neighbour amid tensions between India and Pakistan.

Speaking to ANI on Sunday, Sachdev stated that the move was a 'strict response' to Bangladesh's movements promoting 'Greater Bangla' and 'Sultanate Bangla', which claim territories such as Bihar, Jharkhand, and Northeast India.

On Saturday, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry imposed immediate land port restrictions on the import of several categories of goods from Bangladesh, following a directive issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).

The move limits the entry of products such as ready-made garments and processed foods to specific seaports, an official press release by the Ministry stated and is widely viewed as a response to Bangladesh's recent curbs on Indian yarn, rice, and other goods, along with its decision to impose a transit fee on Indian cargo, marking a shift from previously cooperative trade relations.

Under the new directive, all kinds of ready-made garments from Bangladesh can now only be imported through Nhava Sheva and Kolkata seaports, with entry through land ports no longer permitted.

Eadrleir, Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), reported that India's restrictions on imports from Bangladesh via land ports will impact goods worth USD 770 million, accounting for nearly 42 per cent of total bilateral imports. (ANI)