An Afghan delegation led by Mawlawi Ahmadullah Zahid, Deputy Minister of Commerce and Industry, has sought duty-free access for Afghan cotton and other products in the Bangladeshi market, signalling a renewed effort to strengthen bilateral trade with a particular focus on textiles and apparel.
The proposal was raised during a meeting with Mahbubur Rahman, Commerce Secretary of the Government of Bangladesh, held at the Ministry of Commerce in Dhaka. Officials familiar with the discussions said cotton featured prominently in the Afghan delegation’s outreach, reflecting Bangladesh’s heavy reliance on imported raw materials for its spinning and textile industries.
According to a senior official at the Ministry of Commerce, Afghanistan is seeking duty-free access for around 45 products, with cotton identified as a priority export. In return, the Afghan side indicated its willingness to allow duty-free imports of nearly all major Bangladeshi exportable goods, pointing to an interest in reciprocal trade facilitation.
Bangladesh’s textile and apparel sector imports most of its cotton requirement, primarily from suppliers such as the United States, Brazil, India and several African countries. Industry sources said Afghan cotton, while limited in volume, could emerge as a niche sourcing option if supported by duty-free access and reliable logistics.
During the meeting, the Afghan delegation described Bangladesh as an important sourcing destination for Afghan imports, particularly in categories such as ready-made garments along with others. Afghan officials indicated that improved market access could help diversify the country’s import basket while supporting export growth in raw and semi-processed materials.
Officials stressed that the interaction did not constitute a formal bilateral negotiation and that no written proposals were exchanged. However, the discussions were seen as indicative of Afghanistan’s growing interest in positioning cotton and other agro-based products within Bangladesh’s expanding consumer and industrial markets.
A Bangladeshi exporter involved in trade with Afghanistan said the two countries currently trade around 98 products. He noted that Afghanistan is keen to expand exports of cotton, dry foods, fruits, saffron, almonds and stone products, while Bangladesh’s textile and apparel items continue to dominate its exports to the Afghan market.
The meeting followed an earlier visit by an Afghan delegation to Bangladesh in recent months to explore trade and investment cooperation, underlining sustained interest in developing more structured commercial ties, including linkages with Bangladesh’s textile and apparel value chain.
