Upgraded border check post opens in Benapole tomorrow
Dhaka and New Delhi will open tomorrow the newly-constructed modern integrated check post at Benapole-Petrapole point of India-Bangladesh border, in a bid to facilitate increased trade between the two countries.
The prime ministers of Bangladesh and India will inaugurate the check post through a video conference, Salahuddin Noman Chowdhury, deputy high commissioner of Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi, told The Daily Star.
This will be the second multi-purpose integrated check post between the two countries. The first one along the Akhaura-Agartala point on India-Bangladesh border was opened in November 2013.
"The check post will boost trade between India and Bangladesh and make available various facilities for passengers and traders," said an official of the foreign ministry.
The check post will have customs and immigration facilities, weighbridges, security and scanning equipment, currency exchange booths, internet facility, cargo inspection sheds, warehouse and cold storage.
Other facilities include banks, scanners, closed circuit televisions, cafeteria and hotels.
Trade through Benapole-Petrapole amounts to more than Tk 20,000 crore a year.
BIMSTEC BUSINESS FORUM
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam will leave for India this morning to attend the seventh BIMSTEC Business Forum scheduled to be held tomorrow in New Delhi.
During his three-day visit, Shahriar will hold bilateral meetings with senior leaders of India and discuss issues related to the upcoming visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India.
Hasina has been invited by Indian prime minister to attend an outreach meeting of BIMSTEC heads of states/governments on the sidelines of the eighth annual summit of BRICS on October 15-16 in Goa.
India assumed chairmanship of BRICS (Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa) from Russia in February.
Diplomatic sources said the state minister of Bangladesh will discuss the entire range bilateral issues between the two countries, but the security issue might come up prominently.
He is expected to share information with Indian officials about the recent terror attacks in Dhaka and Kishoreganj.