Online Desk  :   The prevailing bilateral relation between Bangladesh and India will not affect trade and commerce, Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed said on Wednesday. “The statement made by India regarding the suspension of goods exports to Bangladesh is political and will not affect trade and commerce between the two countries,” he said while talking to reporters after attending a programme in Dhaka.

The finance adviser said his government has already undertaken several measures to keep the prices of daily essentials ahead of the month of Ramadan which is likely to begin from March next year. Ramadan goods such as dates, oil, lentils, and others are being imported, and the government has already reduced import duties on these items, he said.

The people will not experience high prices of essential items during the upcoming Ramadan, Saleuddin, also former governor of the Bangladesh Bank, expressed his optimism. The goods usually imported from India will reach the country timely without any hindrance, said the adviser. He said the government has already taken a decision on importing rice from India, Myanmar and Thailand and the rice will be imported from countries where it is available at a lower price.

Claiming that rampant political extortion adversely impacts the prices of daily commodities, he said the government has become able to eliminate the syndicate a bit, but the extortion is still unabated.