Significant developments have taken place in Pakistan—Bangladesh trade relations. A bulk carrier from the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC), named Sibi, reached Chittagong Port on Wednesday, carrying 26,250 metric tons of Pakistani rice. The vessel has already docked at berth CCT/1 for unloading, which has commenced and is expected to be completed by 12 March.

On the vessel’s arrival, the DG of the food ministry and his team from the Pakistan Embassy, including Mr. Zain Aziz, the trade and investment, visited the vessel onboard to welcome the ship.

Pakistan is poised to export 50,000 metric tons of rice to Bangladesh under a Government-to-Government (G2G) agreement. This arrangement follows the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) awarding contracts to two companies. The rice shipment was initially scheduled for the last week of February.

Bangladesh expressed interest in importing rice from Pakistan to meet its domestic demand, which prompted TCP to issue an international tender on 31 December. The tender opened on 6 January and attracted bids from 11 exporters and traders, with offers ranging from $498.40 to $523.50 per metric ton for Long Grain White Rice (IRRI-6).

Following the tender process, TCP Chairman Syed Rafeo Bashir Shah visited Dhaka and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Abdul Khaleque, Bangladesh’s Directorate General of Food.