China has emerged as number one import source for Bangladesh, beating India for the first time.

Bangladeshi import from China amounted to Tk 3,214 crore during July-September period of the current fiscal against Tk 2,708 crore import from India during the same period, according to the statistics of Chief Controller of Import and Export (CCIF).

Textile fabrics, capital machinery and dyeing chemicals are some of the major items that helped China become the top source of Bangladesh's import in the first three months of the 2005-06 fiscal.

"China is set to dominate Bangladesh market as the importers here are shifting from India," said a top commerce ministry official.

Bangladesh imported textile products worth Tk 1,654.24 crore from China while import from India was Tk 526.31 crore during the period. China exported capital machinery worth Tk 659.77 crore while import from India was Tk 334.64 crore for the same category. Besides, dyeing chemicals worth Tk 373.45 crore were imported from China against Tk 252.69 crore from India.

On the other hand, iron products, vehicles and spare parts, and mineral products are some of the major items imported more from India than China, CCIF sources said.

Bangladesh imported iron products worth Tk 228.38 crore from India while the amount was Tk 100.20 crore from China. Spare parts of different vehicles worth Tk 159.39 crore were imported from India while Tk 65.52 crore from China. The country imported mineral products worth Tk 130.29 crore from India against Tk 86 crore from China during the same period.

"Chinese products are cheap compared to the same standard products of India," said an importer at Polwel Market in the capital.

Both the countries stand almost equal in selling such goods as food stuff, plastic and rubber goods, wood and wooden products, raw hides, pulp and papers to Bangladesh.

China offers goods with wide price range and importers become interested in China due to its easy trade procedure and speedy shipment, the importer explained.

China usually sends its products to Bangladesh within 25 days on an average by completing all the formalities while import from India takes 35 days.

Bangladesh's import from India was Tk 12,333 crore in the 2004-05 fiscal while the amount was Tk 9,905 crore from China during the same period.

India exported goods worth Tk 9,420 crore in the 2003-04 financial year while China exported products worth Tk 6,676 crore to Bangladesh in the same fiscal.