By Firstdespatch Desk Apr 12, 2023
Agartala, Apr 12 (FD) Bangladesh on Wednesday said physical transit and transshipment of goods through Chittagong port with the north eastern region will be started soon and two trial runs in this regard was successfully completed.
“We are ready for starting of transit and transshipment of goods between Bangladesh and the North Eastern region of India. Two trial runs were completed and all arrangements for immigration and formalities of Customs in Bangladesh side are also ready. Now we are waiting for Statutory Regulatory Order (SRO) to be issued by the National Board of Revenue”, Bangladesh Minister of state for shipping, Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury told reporters.
The 1.9 km long Maitree bridge over the river Feni in Sabroom, which connects Tripura and Bangladesh was jointly inaugurated virtually by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on March 9, 2021 for movement of passengers and goods from Chittagong port.
The government of India and Bangladesh have signed an agreement for transit and transshipment in September 2022.
The immigration office in Indian side is almost completed and Chief Minister of Tripura Manik Saha recently physically inspected the site at Sabroom, the southernmost town of India bordering Chittagong division of Bangladesh recently, a government official said.
After the Feni Bridge is made operational for passengers, Agartala will become the closest city in the country to an international seaport and the bridge over Feni River will also help Bangladesh's trade with Nepal and Bhutan, Chowdhury said.
The construction was taken up by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd in India at a project cost of ₹133 crore.
Tripura is set to become the 'Gateway of North East' with access to Chittagong Port of Bangladesh, which is just 70 kms from Sabroom, he said.
He said, a new deep sea port is being developed by the government of Japan at Matarbari in Cox’s Bazar of Chittagong which would be completed by 2027 and huge quantity of goods could also be carried by using the Maitree Bridge.
The Bangladesh minister said, the relation between Japan, Bangladesh and India is cordial and after completion of the Matarbari port a huge investment is expected there which will develop Bangladesh and India’s North-East.
Chowdhury said, Ashuganj port on the river Meghna, about 50 km from Agartala will be jointly revamped by the governments of India and Bangladesh.
“Recently we have procured lands worth Taka 700 crore for developing the port. The infrastructures like construction of jetty and other works, India government has agreed to spend Rs.400 crore and after the Indian government releases the money full scale works would be started”, he said.
After the Ashuganj port is ready, goods can be carried from Kolkata and from there the goods can be transported by trucks in any part of Tripura.
Heavy equipments for Palatana power project run by ONGC Tripura Power Corporation (OTPC) was carried through Ashuganj port earlier.
Tripura Government had earlier demanded for access to the Ashuganj port and requested the Government of India to take up the matter with Bangladesh. FD JK