| India proposes comprehensive shipping deal India has put forward a proposal to Bangladesh for signing a comprehensive shipping agreement covering overall maritime services 'due to rise in the bilateral trades', shipping secretary said. Md Abdul Mannan Howlader, Bangladesh's shipping secretary, Tuesday disclosed this to the reporters at the shipping ministry, upon his arrival from India's smallest state of Goa where he signed river protocol renewal treaty extending the facility up to 31 March of 2012. "Indian side has proposed us to build a broader shipping agreement so that it can use Chittagong and Mongla ports and existing six river routes," Abdul Mannan added. Bangladesh and India in a joint statement signed in January, 2010 agreed that Bangladesh will allow use of Mongla and Chittagong sea ports for movement of goods to and from India through road and rail. Mr Mannan said: "Bangladesh sees the proposal positively as the trades through river routes are rising day by day."He said this was informal talks adding: "We'll think it seriously after getting their formal proposal."Shipping secretary said: "We've a preliminary talk on the new issue." Currently, vessels belonging to both countries ply on the six river routes as per Bangladesh-India Trade Agreement of 1972. However, Shipping secretary said Bangladesh has signed the renewal of river protocol treaty as per recommendations made by standing committee on Bangladesh-India Joint Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade held from January 23-24 in Kotkata. Earlier, India wanted to renew Bangladesh-India joint river protocol by five years.Mr Mannan said Indian side pressed hard to extend the river protocol deal for the next five years. He said the existing trade agreement will expire in March, 2012 adding: "We've renewed the river protocol treaty in line with the trade agreement."But, he said: "If the trade agreement is renewed further the protocol will also be renewed." The protocol cannot be extended beyond the validity of trade agreement, as this protocol is linked with the main trade agreement, which will expire on March 31, 2012. bdnews24.com adds: The shipping ministry finds no problem with the transhipment of Indian goods from Kolkata to Agartala through Ashuganj other than the NBR services for making the thing happen. "We [shipping ministry] have no problem in the transhipment of Indian goods from Kolkata to Agartala through Ashuganj, but thing is that NBR has to provide necessary services to facilitate movement of the products," shipping secretary Abdul Mannan Howlader said on Tuesday. http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/more.php?news_id=126362&date=2011-02-16 |
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