A shipping secretary-level meeting between Bangladesh and India has begun in New Delhi with a view to resolving some shipping-related problems, including port facilities.

At least three agreements will be signed after the meeting on the standard operational procedure (SOP) on passenger and cruise services, addendum to PIWT&T and the use of Chattogram and Mongla ports.

A 14-member Bangladesh team, led by shipping secretary Abdus Samad, left Dhaka for New Delhi to attend the meeting yesterday (Wednesday).

Apart from signing the agreements, problems will also be resolved to enable Bangladeshi crew members to use Indian port facilities after disembarking from ships, shipping ministry sources said.

Other members of the delegation are: Bangladesh Land Ports Authority chairman Tapan Kumar Chakrabarty, National Board of Revenue member Khondaker Muhammad Aminur Rahman, shipping ministry joint secretary Monoj Kanti Boral, Chattogram Port Authority member (administration and planning) Jafar Alam, commerce ministry joint secretary AHM Ahsan, Prime Minister’s Office director Mosharrof Hossain, Mongla Port Authority chairman Commodore AKM Faruk Hasan, Department of Shipping director general Commodore Syed Ariful Islam, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (planning and operation) member Md Shahidul Islam, shipping ministry joint secretary Mohidul Islam, deputy secretary ATM Monemul Haque, foreign ministry director (South Asia) Riyad Hossain and Win Ship Company owner Syed Bashir Ahmed.

The three-day meeting will end on October 26.

Bangladesh shipping secretary Abdus Samad and two other officials will sign the agreements on behalf of Bangladesh, while the Indian foreign secretary will sign the agreements on behalf of his country, shipping ministry sources told The Independent yesterday.

The Bangladesh side will also discuss ways to launch the Pangaon and Dhubri protocol routes and bring dead bodies from Indian ports, Abdus Samad told this correspondent before leaving Dhaka for New Delhi. The use of land ports will also be discussed, he added.

Coastal cruise and passenger services will be operated from Bangladesh to India’s Chennai after signing of the agreement, he said, adding that it would help boost the country’s tourism sector. According to DoS sources, Bangladeshi sailors face various problems in different ports in India, America, Singapore, Dubai and Saudi Arabia. The authorities of those countries refuse to let Bangladeshi sailors disembark from ships on the plea of security.