Banglabandha Port to ease trans-border travel

Immigration activities opens Thursday

Starting February 18, the Banglabandha Land Port will facilitate travel of people across the border on highways linking Bangladesh, India, Bhutan and Nepal. Indian State Minister for External Affairs General (Retd) Vijay Kumar Singh and Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal will together inaugurate the immigration activities of the land port, sources in the Home Ministry and the land port authorities said. It would be the 10th land port of the country providing immigration and custom services to passengers traveling to and from the neighboring countries, the sources added. Additional Secretary (Security & Immigration) of Home Ministry Mostafa Kamal Uddin told The Independent that the move 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.
Member (Traffic) of Bangladesh Land Port Authority Md. Aminul Bar Chowdhury told this Correspondent that Bangladesh will also introduce a bus service through the land port to visit India, Nepal and Bhutan under an agreement named BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal), an initiative of the Sub-Regional Coordinative Architecture of Countries in South Asia. “People from Bangladesh will be able to visit India, Nepal and Bhutan in their personal vehicles after signing the BBIN agreement,” he said.
According to sources, the necessary infrastructure has already been set up to begin immigration activities. At the same time, the authorities concerned have already completed the required work to connect the highways of Bangladesh, India, Bhutan and Nepal. The launch of the new check-post is in accordance with a decision taken at a recent Home Secretary-level meeting in Delhi. The Home Ministry has already posted the required staff to start immigration activities for passengers entering from and exiting to neighboring countries. The Banglabandha land port is a major inland port in the northern part of the country, established to provide a trade link with India, Nepal and Bhutan. The three nations are separated by 52 km (32 miles) of Indian territory, known as the the Siliguri Corridor. On the Indian side of the border is Phulbari and the border crossing of vehicles between Phulbari and Banglabandha was inaugurated in January 2011. There are 10 land ports, namely Benapole, Akhawra, Bhomra, Sunamosjid, Hili, Burimari, Nakogaon, Teknak and Banglabandha for ongoing immigration activities.

Banglabandha Port to ease trans-border travel

Immigration activities opens Thursday

Starting February 18, the Banglabandha Land Port will facilitate travel of people across the border on highways linking Bangladesh, India, Bhutan and Nepal. Indian State Minister for External Affairs General (Retd) Vijay Kumar Singh and Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal will together inaugurate the immigration activities of the land port, sources in the Home Ministry and the land port authorities said. It would be the 10th land port of the country providing immigration and custom services to passengers traveling to and from the neighboring countries, the sources added. Additional Secretary (Security Immigration) of Home Ministry Mostafa Kamal Uddin told The Independent that the move 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. Member (Traffic) of Bangladesh Land Port Authority Md. Aminul Bar Chowdhury told this Correspondent that Bangladesh will also introduce a bus service through the land port to visit India, Nepal and Bhutan under an agreement named BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal), an initiative of the Sub-Regional Coordinative Architecture of Countries in South Asia. People from Bangladesh will be able to visit India, Nepal and Bhutan in their personal vehicles after signing the BBIN agreement, he said. According to sources, the necessary infrastructure has already been set up to begin immigration activities. At the same time, the authorities concerned have already completed the required work to connect the highways of Bangladesh, India, Bhutan and Nepal. The launch of the new check-post is in accordance with a decision taken at a recent Home Secretary-level meeting in Delhi. The Home Ministry has already posted the required staff to start immigration activities for passengers entering from and exiting to neighboring countries. The Banglabandha land port is a major inland port in the northern part of the country, established to provide a trade link with India, Nepal and Bhutan. The three nations are separated by 52 km (32 miles) of Indian territory, known as the the Siliguri Corridor. On the Indian side of the border is Phulbari and the border crossing of vehicles between Phulbari and Banglabandha was inaugurated in January 2011. There are 10 land ports, namely Benapole, Akhawra, Bhomra, Sunamosjid, Hili, Burimari, Nakogaon, Teknak and Banglabandha for ongoing immigration activities.