BSS:

Bangladesh on Wednesday launched its first-ever commercial mango export to China, a milestone that Commerce Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin described as a direct outcome of Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus’s recent landmark visit to Beijing.

Inaugurating the air shipment of the first consignment at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA), Bashir said the mangoes are entering the Chinese market duty-free under a new trade facilitation framework, helping address the bilateral trade imbalance and boosting agricultural exports.

“This is just the beginning. We are working to open up new markets in Japan and Europe for Bangladeshi agricultural products,” he said at the Air Shipment Departure Ceremony for the consignment bound for Changsha, Hunan Province.

The initial shipment consists of 10 tonnes of fresh mangoes, while Bangladesh aims to export up to 100 tonnes to China this season, officials said.

A freighter of Chinese carrier SF Express operated the flight carrying the mangoes, Chinese embassy official said.

Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen, who joined the ceremony, hailed the shipment as a “concrete step” in implementing the outcomes of the Chief Adviser’s successful visit to China earlier this month.

“This reflects not only the deepening of bilateral trade but also the mutually beneficial and win-win nature of China-Bangladesh economic cooperation,” the envoy said.

He added that China is ready to work with Bangladesh to uphold the principles of mutual respect, support, and equality, while strengthening coordination within multilateral frameworks such as the WTO and developing integrated industrial and supply chains.

Ambassador Yao also confirmed that Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao will visit Dhaka later this month, leading a business delegation of more than 100 Chinese companies, expected to be the largest-ever Chinese business mission to Bangladesh.

“It will serve as a platform for business communities of both countries to explore more cooperation opportunities, foster more fruitful outcomes in China-Bangladesh economic and trade cooperation, and thereby elevate our Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership to new heights,” the ambassador said.

Adviser Bashir echoed the significance of the upcoming visit, noting that several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) are likely to be signed, paving the way for enhanced trade and investment flows between the two countries.

He also noted that China has expressed interest in assisting Bangladesh in raw leather exports, adding a new dimension to bilateral trade relations.

On the logistics side, Bashir, who is also civil aviation adviser, highlighted that Bangladesh’s export costs have already decreased by 15 to 40 percent due to increased utilization of the country’s airports for cargo handling, following recent infrastructural and policy reforms.

The commencement of mango exports to China has been seen as a signal of growing global recognition of Bangladesh’s agro-export potential and showcased the government’s broader diplomatic success in economic engagement with major partners.