Bangladesh Seeks Faster India Business Visas, 'Guarantee Clause' In Ganges Pact

Bangladesh has called for faster issuance of business visas for its nationals travelling to India and greater ease of doing business, while seeking a “guarantee clause” in the renewed Ganges Water Treaty and asserting its readiness to approach international forums to protect its water rights.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam said Bangladesh wanted businesses and private sectors of the two countries to “communicate more frequently”, Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported on Wednesday.

“Business visas for Bangladeshis should be issued more quickly so that businesspeople can travel to India more frequently,” she said at a reception hosted by the Indian High Commission for leading Bangladeshi business leaders and a delegation from the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) on Tuesday.

Bangladesh seeks smoother trade, investment ties

She stressed the need to address “non-tariff barriers, standards and testing-related difficulties, procedural delays, and infrastructure constraints that affect the smooth movement of goods and services”.

Islam said Bangladesh wanted “more vibrant trade, investment and communication” between the two countries, adding that greater predictability and ease of doing business would benefit businesses on both sides.

Dhaka wants an economic partnership with New Delhi that is “equally beneficial and brings tangible changes” to people's lives, she said.

She said the objective should be to expand the overall economic partnership, overcome challenges and create greater opportunities for trade, business and investment on both sides.

She invited greater Indian investment in Bangladesh, highlighting its large domestic market, industrial workforce, competitive production capabilities and geographical proximity to regional markets.

“Our economic zones provide Indian companies with opportunities to establish dedicated manufacturing and export facilities. We would particularly welcome investments that bring technology, integrate local suppliers, and create employment. And, in the process, connect Bangladeshi products to regional and global value chains,” Islam said.

Bangladesh is India's largest trading partner in South Asia, while India is one of Bangladesh's largest export destinations in Asia. As of February 2025-26, total bilateral trade turnover stood at approximately USD 11.35 billion.

Under the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA), India provides duty-free and quota-free market facilities for almost all Bangladeshi products.

Dhaka pushes for Ganges treaty safeguards

On water sharing, Water Resources Minister Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee said Bangladesh remained committed to renegotiating the Ganges treaty and hoped Prime Minister Tarique Rahman would make a strong case for Bangladesh at the United Nations next month, according to the state-owned BSS news agency.

“We must sign a treaty. Without a treaty, we have no way forward. This is our right,” Anee was quoted as saying by The Daily Star newspaper.

Anee called for a right-to-information provision in future water-sharing agreements and the restoration of a “guarantee clause” included in the 1977 Ganges treaty but omitted from the 1996 pact.

The clause would promise a minimum amount of water to a downstream country, protecting its water supply during dry seasons or when river levels drop unexpectedly.

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Bangladesh ready to approach international bodies

Anee said Bangladesh was prepared to approach international bodies if necessary and hoped India would recognise and respect the rights and sentiments of the Bangladeshi people.

He also said Bangladeshis had long viewed the Farakka Barrage as a “death trap”, adding that India had built barrages and around 900 embankments along the Ganges after Farakka, straining relations between the two countries.