Decision on Shore Leave Facility for Bangladeshi inland crew members and issuance on arrival visa for tourists on cruise vessels will be decided at the next home-ministry-level meeting between Bangladesh and India. Besides, fees on transit and transshipment of goods will apply as per existing tariff schedule. Against this backdrop, a 2-day long Bangladesh-India shipping secretary-level meeting concluded at a city hotel in Dhaka yesterday. Bangladesh’s Shipping Secretary Abdus Samad and his Indian counterpart Gopal Krishna led the meeting on behalf of their respective countries. The meeting discussed Bangladesh’s 14 agendas, while India’s 13 agendas. “We will send a proposal of Identity Card inscribing QR code for Bangladeshi inland seafarers for approval from Indian home ministry so that Bangladeshi crew members can enjoy Shore Leave Facility at Indian ports,” Abdus Samad told reporters after the meeting.

He said Bangladeshi inland seafarers will follow the existing practices on Shore Leave Facility until the Indian authorities approve of it. When asked regarding on arrival visa for tourist through waterways, Bangladesh’s shipping secretary replied, “We have proposed to issue on arrival visa for tourists in waterways in a view to popularise cruise services. Indian delegation in principle agreed on the matter and they will discuss about it with their home ministry.”

Responding to a Bangladesh’s proposal, India has agreed on the facilitation to introduce trade between Chilmari-Dhubri by shallow mechanized vessels popularly known as bulkheads.

Bangladesh has expressed its reservation about allowing India to use Mukhtarpur in Munshiganj, Narayanganj and Pangaon as transshipment ports in Bangladesh, because the areas are highly congested, Samad said.

However, Bangladesh’s shipping secretary assured his Indian counterpart that they will consider the issue after further discussion.

“We are constructing Ashuganj River and Container Terminal at a cost of Tk 1200 crore. So, India wanted to use another ports for transshipment of their goods for interim period. We are considering their proposal,” Bangladesh’s shipping secretary said.

Jogigopa and Bahadurabad will be new ports of call, which will help to transport goods to Indian states and Bhutan too through Chilmari, he added.

“We have already completed dredging on (Bangladesh) our part in Dinajpur and Naogaon. India agreed to dredge 42-km of Atrai River on their part as soon as possible for smooth navigation,” Samad said. Indian proposal for declaration of Ichhamati River as port of call will be delayed as it requires feasibility study, he added.

According to Samad, Bangladesh agreed to allow Indian cargo to use Chattogram and Mongla sea ports and the first trial run will begin in January next year. Gopal Krishna termed the meeting fruitful as they signed four important agreements in the last four years. “We have allowed bulkheads to run in port of call routes between Bangladesh and India but it needed registration from appropriate authorities,” the Indian shipping secretary said. Krishna also said they have no disagreement on paying fees or charges on transit and transshipment of goods.