MEA dismisses Pak's remarks on Kashmir

India on Thursday rubbished Pakistan Army chief Gen Asim Munir's remarks describing Kashmir as the "jugular vein" of Pakistan and said Islamabad's only link with Jammu and Kashmir is the vacation of illegally occupied parts of the Union Territory.

- Rezaul H Laskar

NEW DELHI: India on Thursday said a decision to end an arrangement for trans-shipment of Bangladeshi export cargo to third countries was a response to measures by Dhaka, including closure of three land ports and halting of yarn imports, that had a bearing on bilateral trade.

External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told a weekly briefing that India wants a "positive and constructive" relationship with Bangladesh and the move to end the trans-shipment arrangement will not affect Bangladesh's trade with Bhutan and Nepal via Indian territory.

India last week ended a nearly five-year-old arrangement for trans-shipment of Bangladeshi export cargo to third countries through Indian airports and ports against the backdrop of increasingly strained bilateral relations. Officially, the Indian side cited congestion at airports and ports as the reason for the move. "We stand for a democratic, inclusive and prosperous Bangladesh. As far as trade issues are concerned, we made an announcement last week regarding the trans-shipment facility," Jaiswal said.

"We had taken that measure because of the congestion we see in our ports and airports, but I would also remind you — please do have a look at the developments that have happened on the Bangladeshi side prior to us announcing these measures."