India can use Ctg port if it has capacity

Commerce Minister Faruk Khan said yesterday that if Chittagong seaport has the capacity to take the load, there should not be any problem with India using it for trade transaction.

Faruk, who came here to inaugurate a function on Bangladesh's brick export to Tripura at Akhaura border check-post complex, told reporters that the issue of transit to India could be resolved through bilateral discussion.

"The day is not far off when you will be able to use Chittagong port as your port," he told a correspondent from Tripura, giving a clear hint at positively considering by the present government the longstanding Indian plea for the port use.

"In this globalised world, one will not call it my port or your port. It is our port," the commerce minister categorically said.

He hoped that the export of brick to Tripura would help strengthen the business relations between the two neighbouring countries.

As businessmen raised problems of infrastructure, land port and banking facilities to boost the bilateral trade, Faruk said he would take up the matters with the authorities concerned of Bangladesh.

In next six months a 16-km highway with four lanes from Akhaura border to Darkhar of Dhaka-Sylhet highway will be developed.

A Tk 116 crore project in this respect is now under consideration of the planning commission, the commerce minister said.

Faruk said Bilonia landport will be inaugurated shortly, sometime between Eid-ul-Fitr and Durga Puja.

He assured that the banking and customs problems would be taken up with the finance minister.

The minister said small bilateral problems that remain unresolved would be settled through discussions. He noted that the Bangladesh foreign minister will visit India when the issues will be discussed.

Tripura Commerce Minister Jitendra Choudhury, Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty, Tripuar Chamber's President M.L. Debnath, Tripura Chief Secretary Shudhir Sharma, India-Bangladesh chamber president Abdul Matlub Ahmed and businessmen from Bangladesh and India attended the function.