Bangladesh-Bhutan Meeting Endorses Bhutan's Transit of Goods through Bangladesh
14 September 2022
The Governments of Bangladesh and Bhutan held their 8th Commerce Secretary Level Meeting (CSLM) on 13-14 September 2022, in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The meeting endorsed the Agreement on Movement of Traffic-in-Transit and its Protocol for signing; the renewal of the memorandum of understanding on the use of inland waterways; and the signing of the amended Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) with regard to the MoU on the use of inland waterways.
The Agreement on the Movement of Traffic (Goods) in Transit will allow Bhutan’s imports and exports to pass through Bangladesh, including exiting through the sea ports of Chattogram, Mongla. The amendment of the SoP for the MoU on the Use of Inland Waterways between Bangladesh and Bhutan agreed to add designated Bangladesh ports of call for use by Bhutan.
The meeting also agreed to proactively enforce the Preferential Trade Agreement between Bangladesh and Bhutan that was signed on 6 December 2020. They also agreed to issue necessary notifications for the use of Sonarhat, Gobrakura, Koraitoli and Akhaura by Bhutan. The meeting also recommended enhancing engagements among trade associations, in standards and certification matters, in agriculture through the renewal of existing MoUs, in tourism through the existing MoU and in trade facilitation.
Mr. Tapan Kanti Ghosh, Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce of the Government of Bangladesh and Mr. Karma Tshering, Secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs of the Government of Bhutan led the respective delegations.
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