Skip to main content

Taking advantage of Pakistan's economic crisis, Bangladesh begins 'seed diplomacy'

By Erina Haque* 

Bangladesh and Pakistan together make up 5 percent of the world’s population. The possibilities of market value in the case of export and import between these two states are inevitably huge. 
But the trade between the two countries of 39 crore people is now only 6-7 hundred million dollars. This is a very small share in the exports of both countries. In 2019-20, only 50 million worth of goods went from Bangladesh to Pakistan.
It has the potential to grow exponentially. The industrial sector of both countries has expanded tremendously in the last 50 years. The industrialists of the previous generation knew the details of each other’s people and markets. The next generation of industrialists is unable to make use of that historical experience due to a lack of political action.
Syngenta Bangladesh Limited has started exporting vegetable seeds to Pakistan. Through this, a new horizon has been opened in the export of agricultural products. It will increase foreign exchange reserves in the country as well as create employment. In the press release, Syngenta Bangladesh Limited said that it is planning to export vegetable seeds to various neighboring countries in the future.
According to the press release, the export of vegetables from Bangladesh is now increasing. Syngenta is participating in this glorious journey of exports to enrich the country. will help accelerate the growing trend of exports. Syngenta Bangladesh has been operating in the country for over 50 years.
Syngenta Bangladesh Limited is a leading multinational agribusiness company in the country jointly owned by Syngenta Crop Protection AG of Switzerland and Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC).
Keeping the export goal of the government of Bangladesh in mind, Syngenta Bangladesh Limited has embarked on a new journey by exporting vegetable seeds to neighbouring countries. This initiative has opened a new horizon and is expected to create more employment along with increasing foreign currency reserves, said a press release.
The export of vegetable seeds from Bangladesh is now getting momentum and that too, in a remarkable manner. Syngenta started exporting vegetable seeds to Pakistan and going forward it has the plan to export seeds to more destinations. This endeavour will help to expedite this increasing trend of export and Syngenta is proud to be part of this illustrious journey.
Syngenta has a rich history of over 50 years of operation in Bangladesh. It is a joint venture public limited company, where 60% of the shares are held by Syngenta AG Switzerland and 40% of the shares are held by the Bangladesh Government through BCIC (Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation). 
Pakistan’s goods and services trade with Bangladesh witnessed a surplus of 18.64 percent during first five months of current fiscal year (2022-23) as compared to the corresponding period of last year.
The trade surplus during the months under review was recorded at $329.668 million against $277.863 million during same months of last year, showing 18.64 percent growth. The overall exports to Bangladesh were recorded at $365.290 million during July-November (2022-23) against exports of $ 316.680 million during July- November (2021-22), showing growth of 15.34 percent, SBP data revealed.
Bangladesh can export its world-class medicines, apparel, agro-products, halal foods, ceramics, etc.
Meanwhile, on year-to-year basis, exports to Bangladesh during November 2022 witnessed a nominal decrease of 2.66 percent, from US $ 72.356 million to US $70.431 million. Similarly on month-on-month basis, exports of Bangladesh were rose by 16.69 percent during November 2022 in comparison with exports of US $ 60.355 million in October 2022, SBP data said.
Overall Pakistan’s exports to other countries witnessed a decrease of 2.01 percent in first five months, from US $ 12.313 billion to US $ 12.065 billion, the SBP data revealed. On the other hand, the imports from Bangladesh during the period under review were recorded at $ 35.622 million against $38.817 million last year, showing a decrease of 8.23 percent.
Meanwhile, year-to-year basis, imports from Bangladesh during November 2022 also decreased by 18.25 percent from US $10.559 million last year to US $8.631 million. On month-on-month basis, the import from Bangladesh increased by 20.37 percent during November 2022 when compared to the import of US $7.170 million in October 2022, SBP data said. The overall imports into the country witnessed decrease of 16.15 percent, from $29.663 billion to US $ 24.872 billion, according to the data.
Bangladesh and Pakistan can indeed profit by growing business relations. Pakistan can export cotton, yarn, fabric, leather, inorganic chemicals, vegetables and electronics (fan), halal foods to Bangladesh. There is a high demand for these products in Bangladesh.
On the other hand, Bangladesh can export its world-class medicines, apparel, agro-products, halal foods, ceramics, etc. Bangladesh can benefit from using Pakistan’s Gwadar port and China-run CPEC. Bangladeshi products can be exported to Central Asia and imported from the region easily.
As a result, Pak-Bangladesh ties would boost up more. Both sides can also work in promoting cooperation in the areas of science and technology, information technology, health care, digital cooperation, SME [small and medium-sized enterprises] development, tourism, etc.
Bangladesh has vast experience in dealing with refugees, tackling climate change approach, countering terrorism, human resource development. Pakistan has experience in the sector of religious tourism. Both countries can exchange these advantages.
However, there are many potentials in economic relations between Bangladesh and Pakistan. But this should be realized by the government of Pakistan for its interest. Because they need Bangladesh’s help and support in reviving their fragile economy and raising various regional issues at all international forums.
The sooner the Pakistani government realizes this, the better for them. Pakistan and Bangladesh can gain by growing trade ties.
---
*Researcher, freelance columnist

Comments

TRENDING

Grueling summer ahead: Cuttack’s alarming health trends and what they mean for Odisha

By Sudhansu R Das  The preparation to face the summer should begin early in Odisha. People in the state endure long, grueling summer months starting from mid-February and extending until the end of October. This prolonged heat adversely affects productivity, causes deaths and diseases, and impacts agriculture, tourism and the unorganized sector. The social, economic and cultural life of the state remains severely disrupted during the peak heat months.

Stronger India–Russia partnership highlights a missed energy breakthrough

By N.S. Venkataraman*  The recent visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to India was widely publicized across several countries and has attracted significant global attention. The warmth with which Mr. Putin was received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was particularly noted, prompting policy planners worldwide to examine the implications of this cordial relationship for the global economy and political climate. India–Russia relations have stood on a strong foundation for decades and have consistently withstood geopolitical shifts. This is in marked contrast to India’s ties with the United States, which have experienced fluctuations under different U.S. administrations.

From natural farming to fair prices: Young entrepreneurs show a new path

By Bharat Dogra   There have been frequent debates on agro-business companies not showing adequate concern for the livelihoods of small farmers. Farmers’ unions have often protested—generally with good reason—that while they do not receive fair returns despite high risks and hard work, corporate interests that merely process the crops produced by farmers earn disproportionately high profits. Hence, there is a growing demand for alternative models of agro-business development that demonstrate genuine commitment to protecting farmer livelihoods.

The Vande Mataram debate and the politics of manufactured controversy

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  The recent Vande Mataram debate in Parliament was never meant to foster genuine dialogue. Each political party spoke past the other, addressing its own constituency, ensuring that clips went viral rather than contributing to meaningful deliberation. The objective was clear: to construct a Hindutva narrative ahead of the Bengal elections. Predictably, the Lok Sabha will likely expunge the opposition’s “controversial” remarks while retaining blatant inaccuracies voiced by ministers and ruling-party members. The BJP has mastered the art of inserting distortions into parliamentary records to provide them with a veneer of historical legitimacy.

A comrade in culture and controversy: Yao Wenyuan’s revolutionary legacy

By Harsh Thakor*  This year marks two important anniversaries in Chinese revolutionary history—the 20th death anniversary of Yao Wenyuan, and the 50th anniversary of his seminal essay "On the Social Basis of the Lin Biao Anti-Party Clique". These milestones invite reflection on the man whose pen ignited the first sparks of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution and whose sharp ideological interventions left an indelible imprint on the political and cultural landscape of socialist China.

Why India must urgently strengthen its policies for an ageing population

By Bharat Dogra   A quiet but far-reaching demographic transformation is reshaping much of the world. As life expectancy rises and birth rates fall, societies are witnessing a rapid increase in the proportion of older people. This shift has profound implications for public policy, and the need to strengthen frameworks for healthy and secure ageing has never been more urgent. India is among the countries where these pressures will intensify most sharply in the coming decades.

Thota Sitaramaiah: An internal pillar of an underground organisation

By Harsh Thakor*  Thota Sitaramaiah was regarded within his circles as an example of the many individuals whose work in various underground movements remained largely unknown to the wider public. While some leaders become visible through organisational roles or media attention, many others contribute quietly, without public recognition. Sitaramaiah was considered one such figure. He passed away on December 8, 2025, at the age of 65.

School job scam and the future of university degree holders in West Bengal

By Harasankar Adhikari  The school recruitment controversy in West Bengal has emerged as one of the most serious governance challenges in recent years, raising concerns about transparency, institutional accountability, and the broader impact on society. Allegations that school jobs were obtained through irregular means have led to prolonged legal scrutiny, involving both the Calcutta High Court and the Supreme Court of India. In one instance, a panel for high school teacher recruitment was ultimately cancelled after several years of service, following extended judicial proceedings and debate.

New RTI draft rules inspired by citizen-unfriendly, overtly bureaucratic approach

By Venkatesh Nayak* The Department of Personnel and Training , Government of India has invited comments on a new set of Draft Rules (available in English only) to implement The Right to Information Act, 2005 . The RTI Rules were last amended in 2012 after a long period of consultation with various stakeholders. The Government’s move to put the draft RTI Rules out for people’s comments and suggestions for change is a welcome continuation of the tradition of public consultation. Positive aspects of the Draft RTI Rules While 60-65% of the Draft RTI Rules repeat the content of the 2012 RTI Rules, some new aspects deserve appreciation as they clarify the manner of implementation of key provisions of the RTI Act. These are: Provisions for dealing with non-compliance of the orders and directives of the Central Information Commission (CIC) by public authorities- this was missing in the 2012 RTI Rules. Non-compliance is increasingly becoming a major problem- two of my non-compliance cases are...