Akhaura land port opens tomorrow
A new land port at Akhaura in Brammanbaria district opens tomorrow.
Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan is expected to formally inaugurate the port at 11in the morning.
With the inauguration of new port at Akhaura, the number of land ports across the country will stand at 14, according to AKM Yahiya Chowdhury, chairman of Bangladesh Land Port Authority.
The land port, having warehouse, office complex, open yard, truck parking yard, was constructed on 15 acres of land at a cost of Tk 8.75 crore.
At least 10 trucks would carry goods within 250 yards from the zero point of the border connecting Akhaura land port with Agartala town of the Indian state of Tripura.
Local management will operate the land port before appointment of a berth operator, Chowdhury said, adding that five operators out of 16 applicants are being short listed.
Through this land port, the country is exporting fish, cement, battery, furniture, glass sheet, plastic goods, soya oil and tiles to the neighbouring country. On the other hand, the local traders import bamboo, turmeric, watch, ginger, marble slap, fish, leather, textile parts and fruits from India.
The land ports authority chairman said the country imported 557 tonnes of goods in fiscal 2009-10,while the export volume stood at 4.43 lakh tonnes through the Akhaura land port during the period.
This land port was enlisted as private sector project in 2005 after the announcement of Akhaura Customs Station on January 2002.
Chowdhury said Indian goods using Bangladesh river routes will be landed at Ashuganj river port from where the goods will be taken to Agartala by using Ahkaura land port.
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