Upgraded Akhaura land port opens

FE Team | Published: August 14, 2010 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

FE report
Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan inaugurated the upgraded Akhaura Land Port in Brahmanbaria district Friday eyeing increased trade with the Indian city of Agartala.
"This port has the potential to cut trade deficit with India to some extent and we'll do everything needed to develop the export-oriented port," the minister said while opening the land port.
The Akhaura land port will clear the way for exports of Bangladeshi products to seven north-eastern states in India, he said.
In 2010 financial year, Bangladesh imported 557 tonnes of goods while exported 0.443 million tonnes through the Akhaura land port during the period.
The land port, having warehouse, office complex, open yard, truck parking yard, was constructed on 15 acres of land at a cost of Tk 87.5 million, chairman of Bangladesh Land Port Authority AKM Yahiya Chowdhury said.
Private sector will operate the land port before the appointment of a berth operator, Mr Chowdhury said. Five out of 16 firms have been short listed for the berth operation.
Port officials said the facility will help exporters to send fish, cement, battery, furniture, glass sheet, plastic goods, soya oil and tiles to the neighbouring country.
The land port, they added, will also enable local traders to import bamboo, turmeric, watch, ginger, marble slap, fish, leather, textile parts and fruits from the other side of the border.
The port authority said ships carrying goods will call at Ashuganj river port from where the goods will be taken to Agartala by using Ahkaura land port.
Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Bhutan are currently working out on an arrangement under which Dhaka will have - and provide - access to the three South Asian neighbours for trade, transit and communication.
Bangladesh will open up its Chittagong and Mangla ports to three South Asian countries while India is to facilitate rail and road transit.
Our Brahmanbaria Correspondent adds: According to sources, Akhaura Land Customs Station set up its office in 1950 and started its export-import activities in 1958. Its activities were closed in December, 1958. Again it started its function in 1994. Since then the government has earned a huge amount of revenue. The government announced it as a complete land port in 2002.
The land port realises revenue from export and import of goods, value added tax (VAT), development surcharge, supplementary tax, penalty, court fee, corridor tax, sales tax and travel tax.
Official sources said Akhaura land port realised a record revenue of more than Tk 2.14 billion (214 crore) in the financial year of 2009-2010.
Tk 1.68 billion was realised in the financial year of 2008-2009 while over Tk 1.50 billion was realised in the financial year of 2007-2008, the sources said.