An Indian ship carrying 185 Ashok Leyland trucks will reach the Mongla port tomorrow (Thursday) afternoon. It is the first ship to carry the trucks as part of a deal that will see at least 10,000 such trucks being shipped into Bangaldesh through the port. “At least 10,000 trucks made by Ashok Leyland are being brought to Bangladesh by ships through the Mongla port. As part of the schedule, the first ship, carrying 185 trucks, will arrive at the port on Thursday,” Commodore AKM Faruque Hassan, chairman of the Mongla Port Authority (MPA), told The Independent yesterday.

The MPA and Customs authorities held a meeting for smooth clearance of the Indian shipment, he said. “There is a space constraint at the Mongla port. So, the Customs authorities have been asked for fast clearance after the anchoring of the ship,” the MPA chairman said in reply to a query.

At present, 4,000 vehicles are lying in the port area, he added.

“The Customs authorities have been asked for smooth clearance within seven days after the Indian ship carrying the trucks arrives at the port,” Commodore AKM Faruque Hassan said.

In July 2009, the Mongla port had its first experience of unloading cars, whcih were imported from Japan, MPA director (traffic) Mostafa Kamal told this correspondent.

“This is the first time we will be receiving an Indian ship carrying 185 trucks at the port. The MPA will collect various charges, including a berthing charge, from the ship,” he said in reply to a query. According to sources, the Indian vessel left India’s Chennai International Sea Port on Saturday.

Earlier, Nitin Jairam Gadkari, the Indian minister for road transport & highways, shipping and water resources, had formally inaugurated shipping movements between India and Bangladesh from Chennai. Bangladesh and India signed an agreement to transport cargoes between them through waterways during the visit of Indian premier Narendra Modi to Bangladesh in 2015. The agreement is being implemented through the first consignment of Ashok Leyland trucks from Chennai to the Mongla port.