Dhaka, Delhi set to renew water transit protocol
Ashuganj may be included
as new port of call for
goods between Kolkata and Agartala
Raheed Ejaz Dhaka and New Delhi are set to renew the inland water transit and trade deal soon where Ashuganj may be included as a new port of call, especially for easy transport of Indian goods from Kolkata to Agartala through Bangladesh.
The bilateral deal on inland water transit, Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade, aimed at boosting inland water trade, is scheduled to expire on March 31, 2009. It was last renewed in New Delhi on May 1, 2007.
Diplomatic sources said once Ashuganj would be allowed as a port of call, Indian goods can be easily transported from Kolkata to Tripura through the Akhaura–Agartala railway route..
Referring to the recent visit of India's external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee, foreign ministry officials told New Age the issue of including Ashuganj as a port of call was discussed during the bilateral parley where Bangladesh hinted approval of the proposal.
Officials in Dhaka felt if the frequency of transport of Indian goods increases, it would significantly increase trade and revenue for Bangladesh.
'Allowing Ashuganj as a port of call will also allow Bangladesh to get another port of call in India,' said officials.
The inland water transit protocol was first signed in 1980 under the bilateral trade agreement of 1980 which provides to make mutually beneficial arrangements for the use of their waterways for commerce maintaining the river routes within its territory in a navigable condition.
It was first renewed in 1999 and then in 2001 before the latest renewal in 2007.
Sheikh Enayetullah, the shipping secretary in 2007, and his Indian counterpart A K Mohapatra renewed the protocol where they agreed to consider extension to the route and add more ports of call to facilitate cargo loading and unloading..
Like previous meetings, India, in the New Delhi meeting on May 1, 2007, proposed to use Ashuganj as a new port of call to ferry its goods between Kolkata and Agartala.
A diplomatic source said if India could ferry its goods up to Ashuganj through waterways, it could easily transport them to Tripura through the Akhaura–Agartala railway route.
'For that purpose [transport of Indian goods from one part of the country to another part], new no agreement is required if the two next-door neighbours agree to do that,' said the source.
The official admitted railway officials of Bangladesh and India had earlier given their consent to carry goods and suggested some improvement in infrastructural facilities, including laying out railway spanning 10 more kilometres.
In the last meeting between the shipping officials of two countries in 2007, India also proposed to get Paglahghat, Meghnaghat and Noapara in Khulna, apart from Ashuganj, as a new port of call.
The countries now allow each other eight points as ports of call to ferry their goods. The ports are Narayanganj, Mongla, Khulna and Sirajganj for India and Kolkata, Haldia, Karimganj and Pandu for Bangladesh.
In keeping with the protocol, both the countries allow transit for cargo through eight routes, counting both ways.
The Kolkata–Pandu route stretches via Haldia, Raimangal, Chalna, Khulna, Mongla, Kaukhali, Barisal, Hizla, Chandpur, Narayanganj, Aricha, Sirajganj, Bahadurabad, Chilmari and Dhubri.
The Kolkata-Karimganj route stretches via Haldia, Raimangal, Mongla, Kaukhali, Barisal, Hizla, Chandpur, Narayanganj, Bhairab Bazar, Ajmiriganj, Markuli, Sherpur, Fenchuganj and Zakiganj.
Two of the routes are between Rajshahi and Dhulian via Godagari, both ways.
The Karimganj–Pandu route stretches via Zakiganj, Fenchuganj, Sherpur, Markuli, Ajmiriganj, Bhairab Bazar, Narayanganj, Chandpur, Aricha, Sirajganj, Bahadurabad, Chilmari and Dhubri. http://www.newagebd.com/2009/feb/15/front.html |