Draft modalities for use of Ctg, Mongla ports by India under study
Tuesday, 5 April 2011
Our Correspondent
CHITTAGONG, Apr 4: Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Rajeet Mitter here today said that draft modalities for the use of Chittagong and Mongla ports by India are under discussion. A joint preliminary survey has also been completed for a bridge over the river Feni which will make more effective the proposed new land customs station at Subroom-Ramgarh. "Elements of increased connectivity between our two countries must not be looked at as a zero sum game since it is quite obvious that huge benefits will accrue to both with this enhanced interaction," Rajeet said in his address to the businesses, exporters, importers and manufacturers at the Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry at the CCCI conference room. He said Chittagong and Mongla ports have never been used by the North Eastern states since 1947 and would need to be promoted as viable routes with the business community. Similarly the inland waterways routes need to be popularised since the figures of recent years show a decline in the volume of cargo traffic as it fell to 5000 tonnes last year from 10,000 tonnes the year before. Relating to huge trade gap in favour of India, he said that Bangladesh business community has a lot to contribute for narrowing the gap of large trade imbalance by exporting non-traditional items from Bangladesh to India. He said that Bangladeshi business community has not yet fully explored the opportunities arising out of SAFTA. There is a huge scope to manufacture non-traditional items in Bangladesh for export to India. "It is only through direct contact between businessmen, and the setting up of joint ventures, that new products can be found for export to India," Rajeet said. He said the Indian government will issue multiple visas for the real Bangladesh businessmen for boosting up bilateral trade and business and economic cooperation between the two countries. Earlier, the CCCI president Murshed Murad Ibrahim and directors of the premier trade body welcomed the High Commissioner of India at his first visit to port city. Assistant High Commissioner in Chittagong Somnath Ghose, heads of different exporters' association, CCCI senior vice president Mahbubul Alam, vice president Nurun Newaz Selim and the directors also addressed. CCCI president said India is Bangladesh's traditional friendly country and emphasized on removing all tariff and non-tariff barriers in the export of goods from Bangladesh to India to narrow the huge trade gap between the two countries.
CHITTAGONG, Apr 4: Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Rajeet Mitter here today said that draft modalities for the use of Chittagong and Mongla ports by India are under discussion. A joint preliminary survey has also been completed for a bridge over the river Feni which will make more effective the proposed new land customs station at Subroom-Ramgarh. "Elements of increased connectivity between our two countries must not be looked at as a zero sum game since it is quite obvious that huge benefits will accrue to both with this enhanced interaction," Rajeet said in his address to the businesses, exporters, importers and manufacturers at the Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry at the CCCI conference room. He said Chittagong and Mongla ports have never been used by the North Eastern states since 1947 and would need to be promoted as viable routes with the business community. Similarly the inland waterways routes need to be popularised since the figures of recent years show a decline in the volume of cargo traffic as it fell to 5000 tonnes last year from 10,000 tonnes the year before. Relating to huge trade gap in favour of India, he said that Bangladesh business community has a lot to contribute for narrowing the gap of large trade imbalance by exporting non-traditional items from Bangladesh to India. He said that Bangladeshi business community has not yet fully explored the opportunities arising out of SAFTA. There is a huge scope to manufacture non-traditional items in Bangladesh for export to India. "It is only through direct contact between businessmen, and the setting up of joint ventures, that new products can be found for export to India," Rajeet said. He said the Indian government will issue multiple visas for the real Bangladesh businessmen for boosting up bilateral trade and business and economic cooperation between the two countries. Earlier, the CCCI president Murshed Murad Ibrahim and directors of the premier trade body welcomed the High Commissioner of India at his first visit to port city. Assistant High Commissioner in Chittagong Somnath Ghose, heads of different exporters' association, CCCI senior vice president Mahbubul Alam, vice president Nurun Newaz Selim and the directors also addressed. CCCI president said India is Bangladesh's traditional friendly country and emphasized on removing all tariff and non-tariff barriers in the export of goods from Bangladesh to India to narrow the huge trade gap between the two countries.