By Sumi Khan Dhaka : , January 1, 2008 Vikram Doraiswami, High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh, stated that India had offered its inland waterways system from Varanasi up to Varanasi for trade purposes using India-Nepal connectivity.
India already provides Bangladesh transit access via rail to Nepal for trade.This is done at no extra cost.It also facilitates goods trade between Nepal and Bangladesh.
He said that the entry into force for the Chattogram-Mongla Ports agreement is still to be finalized, and added that an 18 month trial was conducted during Covid, but there have been no results.
Doraiswami highlighted the importance rail connectivity and said it would be an important gamechanger in Bangladesh, as well for the whole region.
India can also use Bangladesh’s vast river network to ship its goods to Tripura, and other places from there.
He stated that connectivity to the subregion is important for all subregional countries.
The High Commissioner spoke to an influential local newspaper of Bangladesh and cited a World Bank study that showed seamless connectivity between India, Bangladesh and India could increase its national income by 17%, and India’s income almost triple.
The High Commissioner called for more land ports to be opened for free trade and said the current monopoly on one border crossing was the largest non-tariff trade barrier between the two sides.
He stated that the potential for investment and trade will not be increased if more land ports are closed to restricted trade.
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