Gateway to north reopens today
Banglabandha land port to link Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal
The Banglabandha land port, a gateway to the northern region, will be reopened today to establish road, trade and commerce links between the four neighboring countries - Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal. It will ease the movement of passengers and goods through road and land-port.
Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Home Affairs Minister of Bangladesh and General (Rtd) Vijay Kumar Singh, the Minister of State of External Affairs and Minister of State (Independent charge) for North East Region, will take part in the inaugural function at Banglabandha border in Tentulia upazila of Panchagor district. It will be the 10th land port of the country providing immigration and custom services to passengers traveling to and from the neighboring countries.
Additional Secretary (Security Immigration) of Home Ministry Mostafa Kamal Uddin told The Independent that it will help travelers wishing to visit the neighboring countries of India, Nepal and Bhutan by road. The land port could emerge as an economic corridor for Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Bhutan, he said.
Such land ports in Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Bhutan will help increase sub-regional cooperation, regional trade, commerce, business, tourism and other sectors if we use them properly, he added.
Meanwhile, preparations to inaugurate the land-port have been taken up by the authorities concerned of Bangladesh and India. Security has been beefed up across the border areas. After the inauguration, passport holders can move between countries throughout the land port, as per the provisions.
Earlier, there was an opportunity to use the border route for transportation of goods between India and Bangladesh. But now, the citizens of another two countries like Nepal and Bhutan will get chance to move throughout the port-land. Not only that, the road communication and commercial activities of the four
countries will be expanded amidst opening of the Banglabandha land port.
Meanwhile, a deal has been signed between the four countries giving approval for plying of transport. It is believed that communication between the four countries will be established easily after immigration facility at the Banglabandha land port. The distance of Siliguri of India from Banglabandha will be 10 kms, while the distance of Nepal from Banglabandha will be 40 kms. Similarly, the distance between Banglabandha and Bhutan will be 60 kms.
Besides, the land port would be turned into a fundamental gateway for the four countries. Transport can ply between Dhaka and Katmandu via Hatikumrul-Bogra-Rangpur-Banglabandha in Bangladesh and Phulbari-Siliguri in India. Also, the communication between Kalkata in India and Chittagong in Bangladesh via Benapole-Jessore-Dhaka will be eased, while communication between Chittagong in Bangladesh and Thimpu in Bhutan throughout Dhaka-Hatikumrul-Bogra-Rangpur-Burimari-Changrabandha-Jayagan will be established.
Siliguri city of India, around 10 kms away from Banglabandha land port, is a corridor for entrance into the states, known as Seven Sisters. It is easy to move anywhere in India from Siliguri by rail, air and highway and there are several opportunities including commercial and tourism in Siliguri.
The opening of Bangabandha land port will fulfill a long-cherished demand of the people of the four countries. Earlier, in September 1997, the present Commerce Affairs Minister Tofayel Ahmed had inaugurated bilateral commerce via Banglabandha land port in Bangladesh and Phulbari land port in India. The decision of movement through Banglabandha land port was taken in a meeting held at Dhaka between the Secretary-level officials of Home Ministries in Bangladesh and India on November 16-17 last year.
Dr. Delwar Hossain, an International Relations specialist, told journalists that the decision is now in the implementation stage. Meanwhile, other administrative preparations, including customs and immigration, have been completed, so as to serve the needs of traders and tourists of the four countries. The move will also strengthen the relationship between the countries. He, however, believes there is a need to strengthen and develop infrastructure.
There are currently seven land ports in the country and opening of the Banglabandha land port will increase the number to eight. The other land ports are in Burimari of Lalmonirhat, Tengrabandha in West Bengal, Sona Mosjid (Mosque) in Chapainawabganj, Hili in Dinajpur, Benapole in Jessore, Bhomra in Satkhira and Akhaura in Bramhonbaria.
Out of the eight, Banglabandha land port will play a vital role in improving trade and commerce between the four countries as well as strengthening friendship among them, stated Bijay Selvaraj, First Secretary of Commerce and Commercial Representative of Indian High Commission, and Abhijit Chattopadhyay, Assistant High Commissioner of India at Rajshahi Office.
According to a reliable source, many tourists from different countries visit Nepal and Darjeeling every year. If the Banglabandha land port is operational, many tourists will also be interested in visiting the beaches of Bangladesh, including Coxs Bazaar, Potenga and Kuakata, which will boost earnings through tourism.
