Bangladesh ports to give Northeast new avenue

With the Bangladesh cabinet on Monday approving an agreement in principle allowing India to use Chittagong and Mongla ports for the movement of goods, the Northeastern states are set to benefit the most. With access to the sea in Chittagong, the states of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram will have another mode of transport, making the region more accessible.

As per the agreement, India will have access to the Chittagong and Mongla ports for the transportation of goods to the Northeastern states via Bangladesh, shaving off travel time in return for charges under the General Agreement on Tariff and Trade principles. The agreement, effective for five years initially, will be renewed automatically for another five years. Either country can cancel it on a notice of five months.

The four routes that come under the agreement are the Chittagong-Mongla Port to Agartala via Akhaura, Chattogram-Mongla to Daouki via Tamabil, Chattogram-Mongla to Sutarkandi via Sheola and Chattogram-Mongla to Bibek Bazar via Srimantapur, said a Bangladeshi official, adding only Bangladeshi vehicles and vessels will be allowed to carry the goods.

Currently, to travel from Kolkata to Agartala on road one has to travel 1,475 kms over 34 hours. Using the sea route will shave off the travel time by a third.

Inaugurating the India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline Project through video conferencing from New Delhi, Prime Minister Modi hailed the speed of the projects and said the uninterrupted progress in Indo-Bangladesh relations can be an example for the world.

"In just 10 days, we have launched five projects through video-conferencing. This speed, this momentum, was not possible without your strong and efficient leadership. I believe that in the coming days, we will continue to work with this feeling for the bright future of people of India and Bangladesh," said Modi.