A proposed road corridor connecting Bangladesh, Myanmar and China could allow trucks to travel from the southeastern port city of Chattogram to Chinese territory within just 24 hours, potentially opening up new opportunities for regional trade, transport and economic cooperation, Bangladesh's Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir has said.
The proposed Bangladesh-Myanmar-China (BMC) road link is expected to strengthen cross-border connectivity, making it easier to transport goods between the three countries and creating an alternative trade route between South Asia and Southeast Asia.
Speaking to journalists after attending the anniversary programme of a private dental college in Sylhet on November 6, Muktadir said the corridor could facilitate trade not only between Bangladesh and China but also with Myanmar.
The proposal comes as Bangladesh seeks to expand its regional trade networks and reduce logistical barriers to international commerce. If realised, the corridor could improve access to regional markets, shorten transportation times and create new opportunities for businesses across the three countries.
Turning to Bangladesh's persistent trade deficit, the commerce minister said the country had imported more than it exported since independence. He explained that the country's export industries remained heavily dependent on imported raw materials, which are processed domestically and subsequently exported as finished products.
He noted that similar trade patterns existed in many other countries, but stressed that Bangladesh needed to diversify its export base to improve its overall trade position.
Beyond the ready-made garment sector, Muktadir identified shipbuilding, non-leather products and jute goods as promising areas for export expansion.
On the proposed revision of garment workers' minimum wages, he said no final decision had been reached. A wage board had been formed to review workers' salaries, and the government was working to accelerate the process with the aim of introducing a revised wage structure from January.
The minister also called for stability in the industrial and business sectors, warning that continued unrest could undermine commercial activities, including exports and imports.
"Business and trade never favour an uncertain environment," he said, urging workers, employers and other stakeholders to put national interests first.
He added that law enforcement agencies would investigate whether anyone was deliberately instigating unrest for personal or other ulterior motives.
Muktadir also addressed recent clashes between intern doctors and relatives of patients at Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital, as well as reports of journalists being assaulted while covering the incidents.
Describing healthcare as a service rather than a business, he said doctors had a responsibility to treat patients with compassion, while patients' relatives should also exercise patience and restraint.
He warned that attacks on medical professionals over shortcomings in healthcare services could damage the wider healthcare system. At the same time, he said misconduct by doctors was unacceptable and that violence or disorderly behaviour by patients' relatives could not be justified.
Expressing concern over the recent incidents at the hospital, the minister said the authorities were aware of the situation and were working to resolve the problems.
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