The government has decided to employ two state think-tanks for examining the pros and cons of the use of Kolkata and Haldia ports by the Bangladesh businesses.
Officials have said local shippers are pressing for using the two Indian ports to transport both export and import (ExIm) cargoes to and from any third country.
The decision to conduct feasibility study was taken on Monday in a meeting held at the Ministry of Shipping.
Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan presided.
"We've decided to examine the pros and cons of using Kolkata and Haldia ports for export-import trade," shipping secretary Abdus Samad told the FE.
He said the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) and the Bangladesh Foreign Trade Institute (BFTI) will conduct the study to assess whether Bangladesh would be benefited from the use of Indian ports.
At an Indo-Bangla shipping secretary-level meeting in New Delhi, held in late October, Dhaka pledged to respond to a proposal mooted by the Indian side on the port use.
Citing the chronic problem of tailback on Dhaka-Chattogram highway as a major problem, Dhaka-based shippers have been pushing the government for months to allow them to use Kolkata and Haldia ports.
But the government looked reluctant as it took into consideration the possible impact of letting shippers use the Indian ports.
In the meantime, Chattogram port's capacity has been on the rise following construction of several jetties and terminals are under construction and also in the pipeline.
Businessmen say multiple inland container terminals have been built on the outskirts of Dhaka and Narayanganj from where vessels carry goods under the Indo-Bangla coastal shipping agreement.
The vessels can also carry Bangladesh's third-country goods to and from Kolkata and Haldia ports if necessary permission is given, they added.
This, the traders said, can save time and cost compared to using the country's premier port.
Sk Mahfuz Hamid, managing director of Gulf Orient Seaways Ltd, said a minor change in the shipping deal can permit coastal vessels to carry third-country export-import trade.
The Pangaon ICT [inland container terminal] remains largely unutilised as local shippers still show their unwillingness to use it, he told the FE.
"If permission is given to use Kolkata and Haldia ports for Bangladesh's export-import trade, Pangaon and other nearest private terminals will see an adequate flow of cargoes," Mr Hamid said.
He said mother vessels anchor at Visakhapatnam seaport which is close to Kolkata and Haldia ports.
Bangladesh's inbound and outbound cargoes will get adequate space at Visakhapatnam port to board mother vessels, Mr Hamid observed.
syful-islam@outlook.com