The Prime Minister’s office has issued six directives to the Commerce Ministry to address the crisis caused by the Ukraine-Russia war. The directive states that before the ongoing war becomes extended, sufficient wheat and maize should be imported and stockpiled from various countries, new export markets for garments and other products should be set up in other countries besides Russia and Ukraine, and immediate steps should be taken to carry out ongoing projects in the country under Russian management and financing, to use the airspace of the countries around the Black Sea to export goods to the region, to increase production in the country to reduce dependence on wheat and maize imports, and to increase surveillance to prevent any individual or group from creating unrest by spreading propaganda or rumours about Russia-Ukraine war. Daily Kaler Kantha gave this information citing sources from the Prime Minister’s office.
Referring to imports from Russia and Ukraine, it is said that about 50 lac tonnes of wheat are imported from different countries every year to meet the domestic demand, two-thirds of which comes from Russia and Ukraine. Due to the war, imports of wheat and maize from both countries have already stopped. This has started to have a direct impact on the country’s market. Referring to fuel oil, the report said Russia and Ukraine exported a variety of food products as well as fuel oil, natural gas, edible oils, chemicals, mineral, and mechanical parts. As a result, the price of fuel oil has risen in the international market since the beginning of the war.
No cargo ship has entered the Black Sea since the beginning of the war. Commodity prices are rising due to shortage of fuel oil and low supply from Russia and Ukraine against demand from importing countries including Bangladesh. Meanwhile, prices of wheat, maize, and edible oil have risen in the country’s market.
According to the report, Bangladesh earns huge foreign exchange every year by exporting garments, jute, frozen food, tea, leather goods, ceramic products, tobacco, fish, medicines, vegetables, etc. to Russia and Ukraine directly and through other countries. On the other hand, Bangladesh imports wheat, maize, mustard, peas, lentils, sunflower oil, minerals, chemicals, mechanical parts, plastics, and other products from these two countries.
