The Bangladeshi government has stopped issuing new import permits for onions from India , officials confirmed, a move aimed at protecting domestic farmers but one that has already impacted cross-border trade and market prices.
Authorities say that no fresh import permits (IPs) have been approved since Monday morning, though shipments under previously issued permits may continue to enter Bangladesh until January 30 through the Hili land port and other points.
The decision has hit Indian exporters hard, especially in border districts such as Malda, where traders have reported significant financial losses amid the sudden policy shift.
Domestic market prices have already reacted. In major wholesale hubs like Chattogram’s Khatunganj, onion prices jumped sharply following reports of the suspension, pressing concerns of renewed instability in consumer markets.
Indian onion producers and industry groups say Bangladesh has been an important export market, and the abrupt halt — seen as part of a broader effort by Dhaka to support local growers — has disrupted established trade flows.
The halt comes amid broader fluctuations in Bangladesh’s onion import policy, with previous rounds of suspension and resumption through land ports in recent months reflecting the delicate balancing act between price stability, food security, and farmer interests.