Jhapa: Nepal's trade with Bangladesh through the Kakadbhitta border has shown a significant imbalance in the current fiscal year 2081/82. According to official data up to the end of the month of Baisakh, Nepal imported goods worth over Rs. 4.75 billion, while its exports to Bangladesh stood at only Rs. 356.2 million. This highlights a considerable trade deficit, with Nepal’s exports accounting for less than 10 percent of its imports.

Subash Pandey, Head of the Nepal Transport and Warehouse Management Company Limited's Kakadbhitta branch, informed that the largest import item from Bangladesh is raw jute, with a total value of around Rs. 1.78 billion. Other major imports include batteries, poultry feed supplements, cosmetic products, hydrogen peroxide, jute yarn, electrical goods, medicines, potatoes, paper, glass items, food, and beverages.

On the other hand, Nepal’s main export item to Bangladesh is molasses, which alone generated Rs. 302.79 million in revenue. Other exported goods include herbs, animal feed, and various household products.

The data underscores a widening trade gap between the two neighboring countries. Experts emphasize that Nepal needs to diversify its export portfolio and strengthen industrial production to address the growing trade imbalance and to establish a more equitable trading relationship with Bangladesh.