India and Bangladesh initiated trans-shipment operations at Ashuganj Port

Bangladesh’s Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan inaugurated the operation at Ashuganj port in central Bangladesh

Venue: Dhaka, Bangladesh

1,000 tonnes of Iron and Steel sheets were emptied to be trans-shipped to Tripura via Bangladesh territory by trucks

Delegates:          

• Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Economic Affairs Adviser – Mashiur Rahman
• Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka – Harsh Vardhan Shringla
• Bangladeshi lawmakers and senior officials

Features of the Agreement:

• The revised version of Bilateral Agreement on Inland Water Transit and Trade has been launched
• The Agreement was accorded during the Prime Minister visit to Dhaka
• The Agreement was signed to enhance the transits operation to any country

Plan strategy:

• Indian containers carrying goods made emptied at the Ashuganj port
• Bangladesh trucks carry their goods and to be delivered to Akhaura checkpoint via Tiripura
• The check point is second largest trading point between India and Bangladesh after the Benapole – Petrapole

 Making bridge between India and Bangladesh:

The transit facility of goods to Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura from West Bengal through a shortcut route via Bangladesh

Distance and money compensation:

• Travelling from Kolkata to Agartala around 1,600 km through trucks
• The cost wise is 67 dollars per tonne of goods
• The transit time takes 30 days to the stipulated place
• The shortcut way through Bangladesh only 500 km

Advantages of Trans-shipment facility:

• Deliver goods within 10 days
• Reduce transport cost by 50%