Indo-Bangla transshipment
The Indian
government should provide land and logistic support for early completion of connectivity projects to facilitate overall development of trade and commerce with Bangladesh
Ranging from strengthening political and cultural ties to foster economically beneficial associations, connectivity has become a buzzword in recent years. Its against this mutual thriving for an improved connectivity that a Bangladeshi ship would transport a consignment of a thousand tonnes steel and iron sheets bound for the Indias north-eastern state, Tripura. Yesterday this transit was formally inaugurated by the Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan. Following this, the formal transit between the two neighbours will become fully operational. Its even supplemented with a provision of third-country access.
The government had earlier allowed transshipment of 10,000 tonnes of Indian food-grains to Tripura via Ashuganj river port on humanitarian grounds, without levying any charge but now they will have to pay a transshipment fee. However, the government must work hard to secure two benefits from this transit deal: first, generating a regular flow of incoming revenue; and second, making full use of the clause by using Indian territories for transporting goods to Nepal and Bhutan.
From Indias end it must fulfil the pledge to spend Rs 15.73 billion to upgrade the 51-km stretch of road from Akhaura zero point on the Indo-Bangla border to Ashuganj river port to a four-lane route for facilitating communications between Agartala and Dhaka. The Indian government should provide land and logistic support for early completion of connectivity projects to facilitate overall development of trade and commerce with Bangladesh.
Improving connectivity is also a key to a regions security and development. The policymakers, therefore, must also see how to focus on these two subjects by launching joint venture initiatives.
Considering transshipment, it was an open secret that Indian efforts to get hold of transit and transshipment facility was mainly for carrying cargos to its seven-sister states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura. Due to our strategic and convenient geographic location only Bangladesh could have provided the facilities. Helping a neighbouring country in its internal logistics and communications is more than just good, but our local ship and transport owners must also ensure that our soil and waters not be used as supply routes for anti-establishment, terrorist or similar sinister activities. Supplied goods should be thoroughly monitored by our customs and law enforcement agencies.
Lastly, over the past years a number of connectivity projects have been envisaged by successive governments of both India and Bangladesh. Following the first shipment we expect both the countries to equally thrive for establishing long-term connectivity for boosting bilateral ties among the two nations.
