Akhaura to become full-fledged landport soon
Saturday, 29 November 2008
Mahmuda Shaolin
The government has planned to turn the Akhaura Land Customs (LC) Station into a full-fledged landport soon to boost cross-border trade with the seven eastern states of India.
It has also taken a move to relocate the Darshona Land Port to Jibon Nagor to facilitate trade with India, said an official of Bangladesh Land Port Authority (BLPA).
"The government has taken six projects for the Akhaora LC Station to modernise and upgrade its existing infrastructure to turn the station into a land port by April next," BLPA member Md Khurshid Alam has told the FE.
The projects include construction of administrative building, warehouse, yard, parking place and setting up a dumping place and offering proper banking facility, he also said.
"Bangladesh can earn more revenue through turning Akhaura into a full-fledged landport because it would facilitate exports to India's seven sisters," he added.
At present, the daily volume of trade between India and Bangladesh is estimated approximately at $184,630 through the 20 land customs stations located along the four of the eight northeastern states of India.
India's exports to Bangladesh account for more than $2.0 billion (200 crore) and imports from Bangladesh are worth only $ 300 million annually.
Akhaura LC station lacks necessary infrastructure including parking place, dumping place and proper banking facility. A 16km single-lane road between the Akhaura and Darkha in India is in a very bad condition obstructing movement of goods trucks, sources said.
With a view to facilitating export and import with India, the BLPA sent a proposal to the Ministry of Shipping to relocate its Darshona port to Jibon Nagor as it is nearer to Indian highways. The proposal awaits approval from the council of advisers, the BLPA official said.
"We'll be able to start operation from Jibon Nagor just after getting the nod from the council of advisers", a high official of the BLPA said.
Jibon Nagor would be financially and socially more viable for importing goods from India than Darsona, he added.
The government has planned to turn the Akhaura Land Customs (LC) Station into a full-fledged landport soon to boost cross-border trade with the seven eastern states of India.
It has also taken a move to relocate the Darshona Land Port to Jibon Nagor to facilitate trade with India, said an official of Bangladesh Land Port Authority (BLPA).
"The government has taken six projects for the Akhaora LC Station to modernise and upgrade its existing infrastructure to turn the station into a land port by April next," BLPA member Md Khurshid Alam has told the FE.
The projects include construction of administrative building, warehouse, yard, parking place and setting up a dumping place and offering proper banking facility, he also said.
"Bangladesh can earn more revenue through turning Akhaura into a full-fledged landport because it would facilitate exports to India's seven sisters," he added.
At present, the daily volume of trade between India and Bangladesh is estimated approximately at $184,630 through the 20 land customs stations located along the four of the eight northeastern states of India.
India's exports to Bangladesh account for more than $2.0 billion (200 crore) and imports from Bangladesh are worth only $ 300 million annually.
Akhaura LC station lacks necessary infrastructure including parking place, dumping place and proper banking facility. A 16km single-lane road between the Akhaura and Darkha in India is in a very bad condition obstructing movement of goods trucks, sources said.
With a view to facilitating export and import with India, the BLPA sent a proposal to the Ministry of Shipping to relocate its Darshona port to Jibon Nagor as it is nearer to Indian highways. The proposal awaits approval from the council of advisers, the BLPA official said.
"We'll be able to start operation from Jibon Nagor just after getting the nod from the council of advisers", a high official of the BLPA said.
Jibon Nagor would be financially and socially more viable for importing goods from India than Darsona, he added.