Mr.G.Chandrasekar 13-04-2023 Logistics (Supply Chain Management)

Bangladesh Ports ready for transshipment of Indian goods to North east

The Transshipment of Indian goods via Bangladesh Ports would be fully operational on time, Bangladesh State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury said. The Bangladesh Minister was attending the third India Japan intellectual conclave in Agartala on April 12th

All preparations from the Bangladesh Shipping ministry side had been completed. Chittagong port is ready with its full capacity. Following the completion of trial runs, a statutory permanent notification would need to be issued by the Government of Bangladesh for the operationalization and regular movement of goods under the agreement. They are just waiting for a Statutory Regulatory Order from the National Board of Revenue (NBR), the minister said while replying to questions.

Bangladesh and India are now at the final stage of operationalization of the agreement to use Chittagong and Mongla ports for transit of goods to and from India. The agreement was signed between Bangladesh and India in 2018 and it gained pace following Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to India in 2022..

Under this agreement between Bangladesh and India, two trial runs were executed and this route is going to become fully operational in on time. Chittagong port authority has all the necessary capacity to handle the goods in full swing.” An agreement had also been signed to use inland water transit for transportation of goods from West Bengal to India's seven eastern states through Bangladesh.

Highlighting on various recent connectivity agreements between Bangladesh and India, as well as with Bhutan and Nepal, Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury said: “The aim objective of those agreements is to ensure fair regional transportation among the connecting countries and to ensure their own commercial interests.” “The BBIN agreement was signed among India, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal also. The aim of those agreements is to ensure fair regional transportation among the connecting countries, ensuring their own commercial interest,” the state minister added.

Assam-based think tank Asian Confluence, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, the Bangladesh Mission in Agartala and the Embassy of Japan in India jointly organized the conclave at Agartala which concluded on April 12th.