The Bangladesh government has allowed onion imports from nine more countries apart from India. 

The Ministry of Agriculture announced this information in a press release on Thursday.

According to the ministry, 11,820 tons of onions will be imported from Pakistan, 2,400 tons from China, 3,910 tons from Egypt, 1,100 tons from Qatar, 2,110 tons from Turkey, 200 tons from Myanmar, 33 tons from Thailand, four tons from the Netherlands and three tons from the UAE. 

It also stated that 379,000 tons of onions have been imported against the permission to import 1.3 million tons.

The price of onion has increased in retail and wholesale markets across Bangladesh following the imposition of a 40% export duty by India. 

On August 19, the Indian government imposed with immediate effect the export duty on onions up to December 31 in an attempt to dampen their local prices.