Dhaka mulls water transport protocol deal with Yangon

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The government is going to sign an Inland Water Transport Protocol (IWTP) agreement with Myanmar to boost connectivity aimed at increasing Dhaka-Yangon trade, a source in the Ministry of Shipping told BSS Tuesday. "We are now at the final stage of signing a river transport protocol agreement with Myanmar. This will be Bangladesh's second river protocol agreement after India," said Joint Secretary of the ministry M Alauddin. Waterway is a low cost transport mode compared to others. Only Tk 0.98 is required for per kilometre transport by waterway, while it costs Tk 4.50 for road, according to a World Bank (WB) report titled 'Revival of Inland Water Transport: Option and Strategies'. Mr Alauddin said a total of 25 non-conventional Bangladeshi ships would be able to transport the Burmese rivers under the planned agreement while the same number of Myanmar ships would be plying. The government has already formed a joint shipping committee comprising of 11 members from Myanmar and 11 members from Bangladesh side. Representatives from the Ministry of Commerce, Home and Shipping, National Board of Revenue (NBR), Bangladesh Cargo Owners' Association (BCOA), Bangladesh Coastal Ships Association (BCSA) and private bodies are in the committee, said Mr Alauddin, also convener of the committee. The committee will make a visit to Myanmar on May 17 to conduct a physical survey to identify suitable ports where Bangladeshi ships to be anchored, he said, adding a Myanmar delegation would also visit Bangladesh later. The official said Bangladeshi ships would transport various goods mainly cement and medicines while ships from Myanmar would carry rice and wood. The anticipated Protocol may initially be for three-year, he added. Mr Alauddin said Dhaka-Yangon proposed such river transport protocol in 2002 but later it was not signed. Bangladesh has the Inland Water Transport Protocol signed in 1972. The protocol is being renewed every two years under the Article-8 of Bangladesh-India trade treaty. The bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Myanmar has been taking place under the General Trade Agreement and Border Trade Agreement, signed in 1973 and 1994 respectively. Dhaka exported goods and commodities worth US$9.17 million to Yangon in 2008-09, while its import during the period was $66.65 million, according to Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) data.