Bangladesh to Open Sea Ports to Neighbors

28 August 2014

Foodgrains bound for Tripura, India reach Ashuganj Port in Bangladesh

Following a meeting with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on the sidelines of an India-Bangladesh business conclave on 24 August 2014, Tripura Industries and Commerce Minister Tapan Chakraborty said that Bangladesh will allow neighboring countries to use Ashuganj and Chittagong sea ports for multi-modal transport. This move—which follows a ccoastal shipping arrangement between Bangladesh and India—is expected to further enhance economic integration among South Asian countries, boosting trade especially between northeastern states of India that share large international borders with Bangladesh.

According to Tripura Minister Chakraborty, Bangladesh is waiting for development of necessary infrastructure, including road connectivity to the ports. Currently, the Government of India is funding construction of a bridge on the Feni River, developing a 70-kilometer road from Sabroom in South Tripura, India to Chittagong Port, and laying railway tracks between Agartala, capital of Tripura, and Akhaura, a southeastern city in Bangladesh connected to Chittagong International Sea Port. India has forwarded a proposal requesting Bangladesh to set up a warehouse at Ashuganj port to facilitate transshipment of goods to India, and develop the connecting road of Akhaura-Viswa Road in Bangladesh. Prime Minister Hasina, according to Tripura Minister Chakraborty, has expressed a ’very positive‘ attitude toward the seven proposals for connectivity, promising to provide all possible help to India’s northeastern states.

Boosting transport connectivity between the two countries reduces time consumed for transporting food grains and other essential commodities. On 7 August, cargo carrying 340 sacks of rice entered Agartala, Tripura through Akhaura, Bangladesh for the first time.

 

Related Links:

The Government of Bangladesh has launched a fully automated trade clearance system, making the submission and issuance of...

Read More


Assam and Bhutan have pledged to strengthen their bilateral tourism ties by collaborating on smoother and more accessible...

Read More


Nepal began its regular export of electricity to Bangladesh, by sending 40 megawatts (MW) of electricity through India's...

Read More


In a landmark move to enhance tourism cooperation between India and Nepal, the Indian Association of Tour Operators...

Read More


Reliance Power of India has signed a major agreement with Green Digital Private Limited, a Bhutan government-owned entity,...

Read More


The Adani Group of India and the Druk Green Power Corporation (DGPC) of Bhutan have signed a landmark...

Read More


Mr. Deepak Khadka, Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation of the Government of Nepal, and Mr. Manohar...

Read More