2 more ports added to India-Bangladesh Protocol Route

Bangladesh and India yesterday agreed to add two more river ports, including one in Ghorasal, for cargo movement and finalised the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for movement of passenger and cruise vessels between Dhaka and Kolkata and Guwahati and Jorhat via Bangladesh.

The two countries also decided that a project management consultant be engaged for the supervision and monitoring of dredging of Ashuganj-Zakiganj and Sirajganj-Daikhowa stretches of Kushiara and Jamuna rivers of India-Bangladesh Protocol Route in Bangladesh.

The consultant will be engaged with 80 percent of financial contribution from India and the rest by Bangladesh. A joint monitoring committee has also been constituted for overall monitoring of the dredging work, a statement issued by the Indian shipping ministry said.

Both sides also agreed to develop Jogighopa in Bangladesh as a hub and trans-shipment terminal for movement of cargo to north-eastern Indian states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland.

The decisions were made at the day-long 19th meeting of the Standing Committee under Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade at Hotel Le Meridien in New Delhi, ahead of the shipping secretary-level talks tomorrow. There, agreements on the use of Chattogram and Mongla ports for movement of goods from India, the addition of Ghorasal and Badarpur (In Assam) river ports and SOP on passengers and cruise movement on the protocol and coastal shipping are expected to be signed.

The 14-member Bangladesh delegation at the meeting was led by shipping ministry Additional Secretary Bhola Nath Dey while Prabir Pandey, chairman of Inland Water Authority of India, headed the Indian team.