BD-India cruise services to start in March

Indian envoy meets commerce minister

FE Report | January 28, 2019 00:00:00

Bangladesh and India are set to launch passenger cruise services between the two countries in March next.

Acting Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dr Adarsh Swaika said this when he made a courtesy call on Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi at the latter's secretariat office on Sunday.

Replying to a query, Dr Swaika said passenger cruise services between India and Bangladesh will start in March. "We have signed an agreement for passenger cruise services between the two neighbouring countries."

In reply to another question, he said there is no impediment to export of Bangladeshi items to India.

India offered duty-free and quota-free access of Bangladeshi goods to its market under the SAFTA (South Asian Free Trade Area) agreement in 2011.

The Indian envoy also said Bangladesh's exports to India increased by more than 145 per cent. Export especially ready-made garment (RMG) increased manyfold.

Tipu Munshi said, "We have mainly discussed border haat issues. We are working to develop Chilahati land port in Domar upazila of Nilphamari. India has already completed development work of its side."

The minister expressed the hope that the volume of trade and business between Bangladesh and India would increase after the Chilahati land port goes into operation.

He urged India to open all border check posts for Bangladeshi nationals. Bangladeshi travellers can now enter or leave India through 24 Indian international airports and two integrated check posts with Indian visa.

"We can raise the volume of our RMG export to US$2.0 billion in India within one or two years if we want because we have the capability to do so," he added.

The Indian envoy assured him that different problems regarding border haats and visa issue will be identified and then be solved.

India is supposed to invest in three special economic zones-- Bheramara, Mirersarai and Mongla, the commerce minister mentioned.

Over the last seven years, bilateral trade has registered an impressive growth. Total trade between the two countries increased from US$5.1 billion in the fiscal year (FY) 2010-11 to US$9.5 billion in the FY 2017-18.

In the FY 2017-18, Bangladesh's exports to India stood at US$873.27 million while imports at US$8619.40 million, according to the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) data.

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